Blood and Honor
by Aesir Legacy
Summary: Torn from his homeland, Perseus is condemned to the life of a gladiator in the bloody sands of the arena in Rome. As he navigates the brutal and violent world he's thrown into, he realizes that not all battles are fought in the arena, and that he must overcome treachery and temptation to survive.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - I thought of a new story idea so I wanted to publish it. Enjoy. Legend of a Hero is also complete, feel free to read that one as well.**

 **Third Person POV**

A man sat shackled in a cell. His jet black hair matted and full of dirt. His once bright green eyes now a dull dark green, void of any emotion and life. The look of a man who has lost everything. Dried up blood covered his entire body. He sat miserably against the cold stone wall. The voices of people cheering in the world above him stirred him awake as he realized where he was and how he got there. Rats with their tiny little feet jittered across the cold floor of the cell. Water dripped from the ceiling onto to face as he slowly opened up his mouth to get a little taste of the unpurified water, savoring it, using it to stay alive. As he awaited his doomed fate, he remembered what had happened.

Ω

 **Thrace, Greece**

A small army led by a Roman commander marched into the tiny village that sat beneath the mountains of Thrace, the Thracians watched as they made their way to the center of the village before coming to a halt and their leader got down from his horse and strode forward to speak.

A man hearing all the commotion decided to move toward it all and hear what was going on. He look as the men of the village protested and shouted at the Romans to leave. He also saw the village elder telling them to calm down and let the Romans speak.

"Hold your fucking tongues, let the Roman have his say."The vulgar language of the village elder got them to stop shouting and everyone in the vicinity quieted down to hear the Roman out.

"Thrace and my republic of Rome have known their differences. We've not always been as brothers. But let us put aside such matters. Unite in a just cause." The Roman had a firm and strong voice as he spoke.

The village elder scoffed, "You pushed your way into our land, and now you stand before us asking for our help? Your hand extended?" Choruses of agreement came from the men of Thrace soon after.

"I extend no hand. I'm here merely to inform. Mithridates and his men attack from the East, approaching from the Black Sea." The Roman spoke once again only to be countered by the village elder once more.

"Far away from our villages of Thrace, we have no need to get involved!"

The Roman nodded, "True, but the barbarians around your village, the Getae, will take advantage of the distraction caused by Mithridates and his men. Their hordes amass in the North, barely a week's march from your village."

"How many?"

The Roman spoke only one word, "Thousands."

Disarray and disagreements sprung from the men, not wanting to believe the man in front of them. Seeing the discomfort and disbelief, the Roman took advantage of it.

"Align yourselves with the Republic of Rome, pledge your services to our auxiliary and join us in our campaign!"

The man with jet black hair and bright green eyes walked towards the front of the crowd from the back from where he was standing, "To what end?"

The crowd quieted down and watched as the Roman turned his attention to the man in front of him.

"Victory."

The man with jet black hair and green eyes spoke again, "And how is this victory you speak of to be measured? The Getae have raided our villages before in the past, raped our women, killed our children, and each time we have pushed them back only to see them return."

The village elder spoke, "This young man speaks out of turn but speaks the truth."

The young man cut his elder off, "If we are to align with Rome, the purpose must be clear." He looked straight into the eyes of the Roman, pleased with his discomfort at being stared down. "The Getae must die. All of them."

The Roman nodded, a straight look on his face as he did so, "Dead." He agreed. "All of them."

The men of Thrace yelled and shouted and cheered, as if a sure victory had already been won. The young man with black hair and green eyes and the Roman leader's eyes were still locked in a stare that no one paid any attention to.

The young man turned his back and walked away.

Ω

The young man walked into a small tent, a middle aged woman sat beside the fire as she whispered her prayers. "The council has decided." She spoke softly.

The young man nodded, "We go to war."

The woman stood up with a blade in her hand and gave it to the young man, "I've asked the gods to bless your sword."

The young man took the sword from the woman's grasp, "With the Getae dead and out of our lands, there will be no reason to ever pick this sword up again mother."

The young man's mother smiled softly, her dark brown hair was starting to turn gray, her bright blue eyes still had a twinkle in them.

She chuckled lightly, "What would my boy do without a sword in his hands? You were raised to be a fighter, the best swordsmen I've ever met."

The young man smiled, "I'll stay here with you, grow crops, raise animals. find a wife, bear children."

His mother brushed a lock of hair that had fallen over his eyes, "You would fight no more?" She asked but then shook her head, "You were born to fight, the gods gave you to me so the world could see how strong you are." She stood and kissed his forehead.

"How soon do you march?" She asked her only son.

"First of light tomorrow." He answered.

"Sleep my son, you have a new journey ahead of you. I feel it is going to be one full of misery but I hope that you will do what is right in the end."

Ω

The next morning, the young man woke up right before dawn and got dressed. His sword strapped to his back. He walked out of his tent to find his mother awake, as if she hadn't slept all night, staring out towards the horizon.

"Mother?"

"I prayed for you all night, my son. That my son would stay here and not have to go."

"I thought we were in an agreement, mother."

She nodded, "We were. But the gods came to me in my dreams last night and they showed me what was to become of you if you go."

The young man raised his eyebrow, "What did they show you?"

"My son on his knees, bowing before a great red serpent. The life draining from his veins."

"What meaning did you take from it?"

She thought for a second before answering, "A warning. If you go to war, you are destined for great and unfortunate things."

He grabbed his mother's hands, like a final goodbye. "The Getae worship the mountain wolf, they place no faith in snakes. Rest assured that no harm will come to me, mother. It was just a dream."

"And if it isn't just a dream?"

"I gave my word, mother, blood and honor. It speaks to the man in me. Nothing will keep me from returning back home. Not the Getae, not the Romans, and not even the Gods themselves."

His mother broke down in tears and hugged her only boy, now a grown man. She pulled back and removed her necklace, the one she had worn for as long as he can remember. "This now belongs to you." She said as she put the necklace around his neck. The silver chain rested against his chest as the dark green trident dangled from it. Unbeknownst to them, the trident glowed a bright green.

His mother looked him straight in the eyes before saying only three words that would haunt him for the rest of his life, "Kill them all."

The young man let go of his mother and walked to join the rest of the men, what he didn't know was that this would be the last time he would ever see his mother.

Ω

Winter had set in as the men charged against Mithridates and his men, the young man was quick on his feet as he slashed and hacked away at anyone that didn't carry Thrace or Rome's sigil. Blood and limbs scattered the grounds as the white snow turned a blood red. The forest around them had been completely burned down and there was no sign of life yet whatsoever.

The young man yelled and raised his sword, "Hold the line!"

Vulgar comments filled the air as the men of Thrace attacked viciously and without mercy.

"I'll fuck all your women!"

"I'll fuck them all!" One man yelled as he stabbed his spear through the back of one of Mithridates' men.

"Where the fuck are the Romans?!" Another man yelled as they all started to notice that the Romans had yet to join them on the battleground, seeing as most of their men were starting to die, they needed the help badly.

"Show them no mercy!" The village elder yelled as he cut the throat of another man before him, blood spraying all over his face and armor as it dripped down onto the ground.

The village elder fell to the ground as one man snuck up behind him and slashed his back, he fell to the ground as his eyes were wide open as if he couldn't believe someone had bested him. The man stood on top of him as he grabbed two spears and gouged the elder's eyes out and listened to the elder's screams of agony in pleasure.

The young man noticed the Roman army riding in with their cavalry and also noticed one of their archers nocking an arrow back, he picked up a sword lying on the ground and flung it towards him and watched as the sword got embedded right in his skull.

More and more men came at him as he continued to weave in and out of fights, cutting off limbs and dismembering heads, he had no time to look at the destruction he had left behind.

"Romans! Forward!" Came the voice of the Roman leader as trumpets were sounded. The Thracians watched as the Mithridates ran and retreated to fight another day.

"A little late cunts!" One Thracian yelled at the Roman leader only to get ignored.

The young man just stared, "They only get in the way."

Ω

The young man walked towards the cliff that was above the Roman camp and looked down, and then he looked back towards his men. How disrespectful was it of the Romans to ask them for their help but not give them any kind of tent to keep warm in the cold winter nights.

He walked back towards the makeshift camp he and his comrades had set up, one of the men was serving dinner.

A large brute spit out the soup he had been given and sneered, "Even my shit would taste better than this!" As he grabbed the neck of the man who had cooked for them.

"If you don't like it then don't eat it cunt!"

The brute yelled, "The Romans are over there feasting on meat while we get this shit!" He kicked over the pot of soup as everyone growled at him.

The young man cleared his throat as the attention was drawn to him instead.

The brute turned his attention towards him, "What do you have to say, little man?"

"A word."

"And what word would that be?" The brute mocked him.

"The word I gave to the Romans, with blood and honor, we all gave them our word to help push Mithridates and his men and the Getae back."

The brute didn't care for it, "We're fighting for a lost cause!"

The young man shook his head, "We gave our word, in my village, that still has some meaning."

"Your village?" The brute asked mockingly, "Is that why you're here? To defend your village? Or maybe you're here to impress all the bitches back home with stories of war!" He mockingly finished as he and the men around them started laughing.

He moved towards the young man as he noticed he wasn't laughing, "Struck a nerve now did I? Words and honor my ass!" He finished as he knocked the bowl of soup from the young man's hand.

"Why don't you go back home to your mother's tits and her tight-" He didn't finish his sentence as the young man kneed him in the stomach and kicked him back towards the fire they had going. The brute stood up in anger as he ran towards the young man only to be struck in the face back to back three times. Blood flowed through the air and hit the ground, as well as some teeth.

The brute charged again, the young man moved out of the way and shifted the brute's body and threw him on the ground with him on top and started punching and punching until his face was a bloody mess and he was unrecognizable.

"The Romans are here!" One man shouted as the young man watched as the Roman leader and two of his men strode into their camp on horseback only to see him on top of the brute with his hand clenched tightly in a fist still in the air.

"We need volunteers to scout the enemy's movement!" The man on the right yelled as he pointed to the young man and the brute, "You! Scout and report any enemy movement and return by sunrise!"

The Roman's turned and left shortly after.

The young man got up and lowered a hand down to the brute, he stared at it a for few seconds before grabbing it and letting the young man pull him up to his feet. They both chuckled.

Ω

The young man and the brute climbed the snowy mountains as he crawled towards the edge of the cliff and looked beyond, "They're breaking camp!" The brute noticed.

The young man nodded, "Retreat would take them beyond the mountains, but their torches show west."

"West?"

The young man nodded again, "They're meaning to swing west and attack the villages by the mountain pass for more rations."

The brute didn't say anything.

"Our villages." The young man said sternly. He couldn't let the Getae attack them while the village was unprotected.

"Slippery little cunts!" The brute said.

"We have to report this, let's go."

Ω

"They break for the mountain pass here." The young man pointed on the map as he spoke to the Roman leader, "It will take them at most four days to reach the villages below. Food, supplies, and women. All unprotected."

The Roman leader took a sip of his wine, "Perhaps I should return back to Rome to clearly assess the situation."

The young man stared, "Send the gods themselves, and they'll report the same thing."

The Roman leader stared at the young man in front of him, "Dismissed."

The young man pointed towards the map once again, "If we march by midday, we can easily pro-"

"Dismissed!" The Roman leader stood and slammed his palms against the table and map.

The young man's jaw locked, he stared at the Roman in front of him and left his tent. The brute that was with him glared at the man before he too left the tent.

A woman appeared from behind the tent, "So it appears the barbarians of the Getae head west."

The Roman leader nodded, "So it appears."

"That is far away from Mithridates and his men, far away from the glory you deserve my love."

The Roman didn't acknowledge what she said, instead he demanded, "Return to Capua at once, a woman does not belong here at a war camp."

She spoke, "And my father? What should I tell him? What should I tell him of the man he so blessed his daughter with?"

The Roman took a few seconds before answer, "A colossus. Towering above the enemies of Rome." He smirked as he moved the Roman army pieces on the map towards the East to fight against Mithridates and his men, leaving the Thracians to their demise.

Ω

"Back to Rome? He spoke to us like boys." The brute said as he and the young man walked back towards their makeshift camp.

The brute chuckled, "He must like boys then." He coughed, "I have a tickle down my throat."

The young man shook his head, "No that's the cock that the Roman just shoved down your throat."

"That man is a dangerous fool, one with a title. We need his help to push the Getae back once and for all." The young man spoke.

"True," The brute spoke, "But he does have good sense in wine." He laughed as he took a pouch of wine out from his bag.

The young man stared at him, "You stole his wine?"

They both started chuckling as they made their back way to camp.

Ω

The next morning came all too soon as he was the only one awake sharpening his sword with a rock, the rest of the men were sprawled at around him, the fire they had going had dwindled down to a very small flame.

The trumpets of the Romans woke the men up as they scampered around to get their armor on, the young man stood up and kicked the brute's stomach, "Wake up, the Romans have sounded the call."

"Fuck the Romans." But nevertheless the brute woke up.

"The Romans have come to their senses." A Thracian stated as they all got ready to march. "It'll be a three days march at most. We march west."

A Roman strode toward them on horseback once again, "West? No, we march East to challenge Mithridates' full force. Get ready. We will come for you soon" He rode off.

"East? What the fuck is he thinking? He gave us his word to put an end to the Getae and he's running away?" The young man stated furiously.

The Roman man returned with the Roman leader, the young man walked towards him, "A word if I may desire."

"Get into formation scum! We march East!" The Roman standing on the left of the leader yelled.

"Surely you mean West?" The young man pointed his arm out towards the West. "We need to take out the Getae!"

"Mithridates and his men are a more pressing concern." The leader stated swiftly. "You have aligned yourself with Rome. I am it's body and voice." He put an emphasis on himself as he spoke. "We march East towards the Black Sea. Fall into formation."

"Fall into formation!" The leader yelled after seeing none of them move.

The young man stared at the leader in front of him, "No."

"You would defy an order from Rome?"

"I gave my word, my blood and honor, to defend against the Getae. Not to march East to attack Mithridates himself!

"You will march where you are commanded!" The Roman leader yelled as he unsheathed his sword, followed by the few men behind him unsheathing their swords as well.

Seeing this, the young man unsheathed his sword and slashed away at the horse, knowing well enough that the horse would knock the man off it's back.

Seeing their leader thrown off the horse's back, the man on the left yelled, "Kill them all!"

The Thracians attacked the small amount of Romans that were there mercilessly. Seeing most of his men killed the leader and the only man he had left got on their horses and rode off. "My liege we must go!"

"Throw, damn you!" The brute yelled after being knocked to the ground by one of the Romans.

The young man grabbed the spear off the ground and hurled it towards the men riding off. The spear entered from the back off the man's skull and exited from the front. The Roman leader stared at the young man before riding off once again.

The brute yelled, "Leave now and go back to your homes! If you don't then oh well do fuck all!"

He turned towards the young man, "What of the Legatus?"

"Leave him be, we're not strong enough to take on an entire Roman army." They grabbed each other's forearms as a bid farewell before departing and returning back home.

Ω

Spring had come, the followers and trees back in the Thracian village had flourished. The young man's mother was out picking fruits from the trees. Her basket was full of different kinds of fruit, she smiled in content before turning around and going back to her home. But what she didn't expect as four Getae men standing before her, all smiling viciously at her as if she was some kind of piece of meat. All four had axes in their hands covered in blood and pieces of flesh and bone.

She dropped her basket and ran like her life depended on it, but given her old age she could no longer run as fast as she used to. Another man jumped in front of her and grabbed her before throwing her on the ground and getting on top of her. She swung her arms and legs around frantically, hoping to push him off, her hand found a rock and she swung and caught the man and hit his head, and watched as a dent formed in his skull and blood dripped down his face.

She kicked him in the groin and watched as he fell to the ground, she grabbed the axe that had fallen to the ground and started swinging. The men around her easily dodged and laughed at her. The man right in front of her looked down at her body and licked his lips. He looked up and saw a sword hurling towards him. The young man's mother ducked as the sword caught the man in his throat and threw him back.

The mother looked and saw her son running back into the village, a happy and joyous expression on her face evident that she was happy to him again.

The young man yelled and jumped and brought his shield up to hit one man in the face knocking him down, the force enough to drop him dead.

Two men charged towards him, he ducked and weaved in between them and grabbed the long knife that was hanging on one of the men's belts, he slashed and managed to slice both of them, their intestines falling out and onto the ground.

He threw the knife in his hand and didn't bother watching as it lodged itself in another man's forehead.

He grabbed his sword off that was embedded in the man's chest before hacking and slashing his way through the men, more and more were starting to show up.

He was a one man army, capable of only decimating and leaving blood and flesh in his wake. He watched as his mother had picked up a sword off the ground and started stabbing away, killing a few men as well.

A scream of agony coursed the air and rang in his ears.

It was his mother.

He watched painfully as a sword protruded through her stomach. That image would forever be ingrained in his head.

He rushed over and killed the last of the Getae men before kneeling down and helping his mother up.

His mother ran her hands through his hair, "My boy, look at me."

Tears welled up in his eyes and they fell down one by one.

"I have no regrets." She said, as she was breathing heavily. "I am very proud of the man you've become my son, I will always be watching after you." She took her last breath and died right in her son's arms and he let out a scream of anguish and agony for the loss of the only family he had left.

Even more screams filled the air as he left the lifeless body of his mother there on the cold hard ground, he ran forward and looked towards the horizon to see smoke and fire. His village was being destroyed.

He couldn't take it, his mother, his friends, his comrades, all killed before him.

He was the last one.

Ω

Night time had come, he had walked for hours and his legs were very sore. He sat inside a dimly lit cave with a small fire going. He looked into the flames lifelessly, his once luscious jet black hair was now matted in blood and dirt. His once bright green eyes were lifeless and void of any emotion.

"I never should have left…" He whispered.

"If only I could've been a thousand men…" He whispered again, silent tears running down his face.

He could see it now, his mother looking down from the heavens and telling him not to be so hard himself.

"There is no life without you mother…" He whispered as he looked up towards the skies, the full moon was high up as the stars around it twinkled.

The thoughts of his mother plagued as he fell asleep for the first time in days.

Ω

He woke up to the sound of men, the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the Roman Legatus. He grabbed for his sword but to no avail, a Roman punched him in the head and grabbed his sword. Soon after the Legatus and his men started punching and kicking the young man.

Blood dripped down his nose and mouth as his bloodshot eyes looked up from his position on the ground and met the eyes of the Legatus.

Two of his men grabbed the young man as the Legatus strode forward. "My men are dead because of your actions. You deserted us in the middle of a war."

"I gave my word to defend against the Getae not to fight a battle for you!" He spit the blood that was gathered in his mouth towards the Legatus.

The Legatus sneered as he wiped the blood of his face, "The shadow of Rome is vast." He unsheathed his sword, "And you Thracian, will die within it!" He slammed the end of his sword against the young man's head and knocked him unconscious.

"Pick him up, he comes with us."

Ω

 **Capua - Present Time**

The young man shackled, remembered how he got there, being beaten everyday, being thrown on a ship, given nothing to eat. But here he was, still alive. Waiting for his everlasting damnation in Rome.

He heard screams coming from the cells beside him as he watched as faces appeared around the corner.

The faces of the men he fought alongside of.

Thracians.

The brute sat in the cell across from him, "Nice of you to wake up and join us, you smell like fucking death!"

"Where are we?" The young man's green eyes looked around frantically.

"Capua."

"Why?"

"Headed to the arena, you fool."

Ω

Music filled the atmosphere as the people of Capua danced, drank and enjoyed the feast. After all a victory against Mithridates and his men was definitely a reason for such occasion.

Nude women danced around the place, eliciting delight from the male guests. Many had even jumped on a few of the nude women and started having sex with them.

Men of high class were being fed grapes by female nude servants, dancers danced around the room welcoming all kinds of other people to come dance with them.

The cheers got louder as the Roman Senator made his entrance, "Good evening people of Capua! Revered guests of honor, please accept my gratitude for you all for partaking in the celebrations!"

"Your attendance here honors the name of Rome! I give to you fresh water from Rome! A gift from the Gods." He stopped, "And gifts of blood to be spilled in the arena tomorrow!"

The last part was welcomed with cheers.

"Quintus Lentulus Batiatus please step forward."

A frail middle aged man walked in with two muscular men behind him.

"Please present your gladiators."

"People of Capua! I give you two of my best gladiators! Ethan! The power of justice and Nemesis runs through his veins but his ferocity is nothing compared to the titan of the arena, Luke! The beast of Capua. The god of blood and sand. The undefeated."

"Gratitude to Batiatus!"

The man nodded before stepping to the side.

More and more gladiators were introduced, only to be slain in the arena the next day.

"Rome has blessed us with the return of my daughter's husband, Gaius Claudius Glaber please come forth!" The senator spoke.

The Roman Legatus strode forward, Glaber was his name.

"He brings with him some men for the arena from the savaged lands of Thrace!"

People cheered him on as the young man still shackled was brought before a crowd along with the brute and the rest of his comrades.

Glaber raised his hands and spoke, "More blood to be spilled in the arena tomorrow for the people of Capua! Six Thracian dogs! Deserters of the war against the barbaric Getae. To be executed tomorrow at the games in the arena!"

The senator clapped and raised his hands, "Let the games begin. Now we drink! Let the music begin!"

Ω

The young man's green eyes looked around in disgust as nude women danced, the men ate like pigs, and cherished in the fact that many would die tomorrow in the arena. He noticed many of the men entered in the games tomorrow in the arena were practicing against one another with wooden swords. Feeling his eyes on them they all looked and pointed their wooden swords at him and his comrades beside him, threatening them.

He was taken to his lonely cell soon after.

Waiting for his demise in the arena the following morning.

That night he barely slept, eyes searching for any kind of escape. Cheers had already started in the arena above him as he sat there waiting to be taken from his small little cell to the world above him.

The cell door opened, "Get up fool!"

Two Romans walked in and unshackled him

He could barely stand.

They grabbed his arms and yanked him forward, up the stairs and to the front of gates of the arena.

They took the cuffs off his hands and gave him a sword and threw him into the arena.

He looked up to see thousands of people, the sun blinded him, having not seen it for a long time. He looked towards the center and saw the brute fighting a gladiator and failing to win.

The brute was knocked to the ground and looked up to see the young man staring at him. He chuckled and nodded his head as a final farewell and a good bye before rushing the gladiator, only to have his head dismembered from his body, his blood spraying on the sands in the arena.

The people in the stands cheered as the brute's now dead body laid there on the sand.

Arena workers soon aftewards came and dragged the dead body of the brute out of the arena, his blood still staining the sand.

Trumpets sounded as it was time for the young man to make his way towards the center of the arena.

The gladiator standing in front of him was the one who killed the brute, he raised his sword towards him and sneered, "Are you ready, you Thracian cunt?"

Before their fight could begin, the gates were opened as 3 more gladiators entered the arena, courtesy of Glaber.

The crowd seeing that this fight was going to be a four on one, started booing. Throwing all kinds of food towards them.

The young man watched as all four of them stood around him, one waving his sword, the other a trident, the other a net, and the last one a net.

All eyes turned to the senator as he nodded and the command was given to begin.

All four attacked the young man at once, his instincts kicked in as he dodged and weaved in and out of all their attacks. The net was thrown at him only for him to move out of the way of, and pick up and thrown over another gladiator. The one with the trident came at him, the young man blocked the trident and kick him back and pick the trident up for himself to use.

The trident glowed a bright green once again, but again no one noticed, not even the young man himself.

Soon the numbers game became too much for him, as he was thrown onto the ground, one of them slashed his back as blood dripped from it onto the sands under his foot.

He didn't even have time to scream as an axe was being brought down on his head and he barely had time to dodge it.

He got on his knees and watched as the gladiator walked towards him like a predator with a sword and shield in both hands.

There right on the shield was a bright red serpent.

What his mother had told him had come true, he would be bowing before a great red serpent.

He unleashed his anger, the ground beneath them rumbled.

He remembered his mother's words.

"Kill them all."

He would do exactly that.

The gladiator in front of him raised his sword, and brought it down.

He got up from his knees really quickly, "Ahhhhh!" He yelled as he stabbed his sword through the gladiator's chest and out his back.

The crowd cheered as Glaber looked on in shock.

The other three seeing one of their own fall attacked him head on, but that didn't stop the young man. He slashed through one of the gladiator's stomach, and used the trident he had picked up earlier to pierce the gladiator's neck.

The crowd went crazy as they saw another gladiator dead, and his head flying off his neck.

The other two came at him, hacking away at with their spears. He caught both the spear tips with the trident's prongs and brought his sword down in an arc, cutting both gladiator's arm's off.

One used his good hand to pick up an axe off the ground and brought it down on the young man, only for the young man to grab the other gladiator and use it has a human shield. The axe broke through the gladiator's spine and he fell to the ground dead.

The young man threw the dead body off of him and rolled down onto the ground and slashed, cutting both the legs off the remaining gladiator.

The crowd cheered him on like crazy, Batiatus looked on in interest as Glaber brought his head down at being humiliated by the young man once again.

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

The crowded cheered as they watched the legless man start crawling away from the young man. The young man turned around with his sword and trident still in his hand and brought the trident down, killing the man.

The young man looked around the arena, the people in the crowd were on their feet clapping and screaming for him.

The young man turned towards Glaber and stared right into his eyes. An act of defiance at the fate he was given.

Glaber turned towards the senator, "We cannot let that man go free, he has caused Rome much grievance!"

The senator shook his head, "To deny the crowd would cause an uprising." He said after hearing the crowd yell let him live.

Batiatus intervened, "Legatus if it is fine with you, I would like to offer something much different. This young man has shown much promise in the arena, if I were to purchase him, he would be trained at my ludus."

The senator nodded his head, and turned to Glaber, "We will be merciless. By letting him live you will gain the favor you so need. He will be purchased and trained as a gladiator from tomorrow on."

The senator stood, "What name does the man carry?"

Glaber shook his head, "I never cared to ask."

Batiatus spoke, "The way he fights, it's like he fights like the great hero of old." He stopped for a few seconds before speaking again, "Perseus, he was called."

The senator nodded with a smile and raised his arms, the crowded quieted down, "People of Capua! This man!" He pointed towards the young man, "This Perseus, has proven himself to be in the arena. For this, Glaber and I have decided to grant this man…"

He raised his thumb upwards, "Life!"

The crowded cheered like never before, as the now named Perseus was free to live.

"Perseus!"

"Perseus!"

"Perseus!"

The name was echoed throughout the entire arena as Perseus looked towards them, blood of the gladiators dripping from his face and body.

Perseus turned his attention to Glaber and a promise was made.

"Your death will be by hand Glaber, I promise you that."

 **A/N- Thank you for reading, this story will be an epic one. It will be a long one with long chapters. I'll try to update once a week. Please do review and tell me what I could have done differently and I am looking forward to reading your opinions about this new story. Perseus is a gladiator and will fight his way to freedom, the pairing is undecided yet but feel free to review and tell me a name. Thank you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - thank you for the reviews, a pairing is undecided yet, i'm still not sure if i will even include a pairing, so far it's just him. Please do give feedback though, always looking for criticism.**

 **Previously on Blood and Honor**

 _The crowded cheered like never before, as the now named Perseus was free to live._

" _Perseus!"_

" _Perseus!"_

" _Perseus!"_

 _The name was echoed throughout the entire arena as Perseus looked towards them, blood of the gladiators dripping from his face and body._

 _Perseus turned his attention to Glaber and a promise was made._

" _Your death will be by hand Glaber, I promise you that."_

 **Third Person POV**

Perseus' body was sprawled out against the cold cell floor. Water dripped down from the ceiling and made its way onto his body, only to slide down his torso and onto the ground. Footsteps echoed throughout the hallway in front of his cell.

A hand made it's way up towards his face and before it hand time to cup his cheek, Perseus woke up and grabbed ahold of that warm, soft hand.

"Mother!"

Standing above him was his mother, as if she had never died, she looked much younger, her bright blue eyes full of life.

"I will always be watching over you, my son. Not even the gods can deny me that right." A blade protruded from her stomach as she coughed up blood.

Perseus awoke with a start, his breathing was heavy and he tried to get up, only to see that his hands and feet were still both shackled. His wounds from the arena had be cauterized. His flesh was a bright pink and still very sensitive to the touch. His muscles ached and he could barely feel his legs.

"Have them take him to the baths." Perseus looked to his right and saw the man Batiatus from the night before. "But first attend to all that fucking hair."

Two men came and helped him stand as a third got out a small blade and started cutting away locks of his once luscious jet black. He hadn't realized his hair had gotten so long, it was now past his shoulders.

The old man started cutting his locks one by one as he watched his hair fall to the ground only for it to be swept up by another man and thrown into the small fire they had going in the corner.

Ω

Batiatus walked into his chambers that night, a woman laying in his bed. "How is your new pet doing? The money you spent on him could've been used for water and food! You paid far more than they asked for."

He shook his head, "I paid what he was actually worth."

"Perseus is nothing but a walking corpse, how long till he actually proves his worth and our coffers start rising? Just kill him now and be done with it."

"Not before he serves his purpose." The master of the ludus spoke with an underlying message and took a small scroll that was in one of his pockets.

"A message." He said, "From the great, Glaber, himself."

"And what are his intentions?" The woman asked.

Batiatus gave her the scroll and let her read herself, she speed read through it before an exasperated look adorned her face, "He's coming here?"

"Indeed, two days time."

"But the reason for his visit is absent."

"No words but the meaning isn't shy. He comes here, to thank me." Batiatus cockily said as he started undressing himself with the help of his servants.

"For what? Paying too much for the Thracian scum you bought?"

"Perseus defied Glaber's attempt at an assasination in the arena. The people demanded freedom, it was an embarrassment for the Legatus." He filled his two hands with water and proceeded to wash his face, "I offered an alternative by purchasing him."

The woman scoffed, "Yes you purchased him. At an inflated price no less."

"If Perseus survives the arena, then we make more money off of him. If not…"

He didn't have to continue as he realized she had caught on, "Then his passing in the arena becomes a delight for the Legatus and you earn his favor."

Batiatus chuckled, "Indeed that is correct."

"His coins will fill up our coffers, our water pools will be overflowing!"

"We will have to prepare a feast for him." She looked sternly at her attendants and they excused themselves to go prepare.

"At once madam Lucretia."

The now named woman, Lucretia spoke again, "Go get some wine from the cellars down below and have it served as well."

"May the gods bless us with good fortunes." They chuckled in a mischievous way.

Ω,

Down below, the gladiators of the arena had begun to take their weekly baths. The servants helped scrub their backs and helped wash. The door opened and the guards threw Perseus in with the rest of them.

He stumbled before catching his balance, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair cut much shorter. He heard the men laughing at him as he looked up to meet many of their stares.

"Oh would you look at that, the pig fuckers alive!" Perseus turned, the one he remembered that was introduced as Luke had spoken vulgarly towards him.

"So this is the one, eh? The one they call Perseus? The one everyone's been pissing about?" The one named Ethan spoke and continued with the insults.

Luke stepped forward, "No one gives a fuck about who you were before this Thracian."

Perseus calmed himself down, "What is this place?"

"The afterlife, my friend." Perseus looked back at the man who had spoken before turning his attention to the man in front of him.

"You are now a guest of honor here, a guest of Batiatus. Master of the greatest ludus in Capua!" He raised his arms up into the air as he spoke the last bit, the men around him cheering.

"Ludus?"

"A school of training. Where men are forged into gods! Through blood and through the arena, to reach their mountain top."

Perseus understood, "Gladiators."

Luke nodded, and spoke to the men around him, including Perseus, "The truest of brotherhoods!" The men cheered once again.

"Live the next few days, and you and the next recruits can count yourselves among us." Ethan spoke once again, his voice soft but stern. "And bear our mark." He raised his arm forward and showed Perseus the B that was tattooed on the inside of his forearm. The mark of Batiatus.

"Now in the meantime, can we fetch you anything?" Food, water?"

Perseus nodded, "Water, water please."

Luke and the rest of the men laughed at his naivety.

"This one's a bit slow, isn't he? But of course, what else would you expect from a Thracian?" He spoke the last part with such disgust.

Perseus stepped forward, "What are you then?"

Luke stared at him,"I am Luke, the beast of Athens and the undefeated king of the arena!" He spoke with pride evident in his voice."

"An Athenian? That explains why you're so ignorant. You believe you have your freedom here, but you don't, you are nothing but pawns to the man Batiatus, only a way for him to get more and more money."

Luke laughed to cover up his embarrassment at being called ignorant, "Oh you tend to your wounds, rest, sleep, when you regain your strength, we will revisit that remark."

Luke turned his back towards him and went back to his bath.

Ω,

The day started early the next morning as all the men were ushered from their singular cells onto the ludus training grounds. The soon to be gladiators were put in the middle as the gladiators formed a ring around them.

Shouts of "Weak!" filled the air as all kinds of other insults were thrown at Perseus and the others. "Not a cock among them! All I see are cunts!"

A dark skinned man walked forward, a whip ready in his hands. He stood before Perseus and the new recruits and stared at each of them one by one.

"What is beneath your feet?" He asked them.

"Answer!" He shouted as he got no response.

He asked again, "What is beneath your feet?"

The recruit on the far left spoke, "Sand."

The men around them started laughing at the answer.

"Luke, what is beneath your feet?" He asked, as Luke walked forward.

"Sacred ground, doctore. Watered with the tears of blood." Luke stared strongly at them all, especially at Perseus.

The man given the title of Doctore spoke again, "Your tears, your blood, your pathetic lives. Forged into something of worth. Listen, learn, and perhaps live. Now gladiators! Attend your master." He raised his arm toward the balcony above them as the doors opened as Batiatus and his woman, Lucretia, walked forward.

"You have been blessed! Each and everyone of you. To find yourselves here in the ludus of Batiatus! Preparer of the finest gladiators in the entire republic!" The gladiators below him cheered.

"Prove yourselves in the hard days that follow, prove yourselves more than a common slave, more than a man! Fail, and die. Either here where you stand, or be sold off to go work in the mines where you will ultimately die as well. But if you succeed." He raised his arms, "Stand and fight beside my titans!" His gladiators cheered louder than before cheering his name.

"Batiatus!"

"Batiatus!"

"Batiatus!"

The doctore swung his whip to gain everyone's attention, "A gladiator, does not fear death. He embraces it, caresses it, Even fucks it." The recruit off to the far left laughed at the last part and managed to catch the attention of the doctore.

"Each time he enters the arena, he slips his cock inside the mouth of the beast." He stood before the recruit who had laughed and stared at him. "And prays to thrust home. Before the jaws snap shut!" He kneed the recruit who had laughed in his groin and watched him fall to the ground.

He walked forward, "None of you dogs would last even a minute in the arena." He walked and stood before Perseus, "Except one."

"This sad, pitiful, Thracian, stood before four gladiators in the arena. Condemned to die. Given nothing but a sword to wage his life upon. They came at him. One by one."

In that moment, Perseus thought back to how he decimated his four opponents in the arena a few nights ago. How he had left a wake of destruction in his path, filled with blood.

The doctore spoke again, "He defied death. Fate. The gods themselves."

More and more visions of Perseus killing the men clouded his mind.

Screams of the crowd chanting his name echoed in his ears.

"Gaze at this man." The doctore pointed towards Perseus, "Study him. And realize that he is nothing."

The men around them laughed.

The doctore went on, "A coward, a deserter of the auxiliary of the Roman army. His victory in the arena is as hollow as his courage. He was up against the ill trained gladiators of another ludus, a rival ludus of Master Batiatus!"

Batiatus spoke, "Had Perseus been up against someone of this ludus, his head would've left his body well in advance of anything else."

An angry look appeared on Perseus' face as the doctore saw it, "The Thracian disagrees?" He spoke.

"A demonstration, perhaps?"

The doctore looked up at Batiatus as he gave his nod of approval, "Luke!"

"Practice swords!" The doctore yelled as a young slave boy brought over two wooden swords for him.

One was given to Luke.

"Prove us wrong, Perseus." The doctore said as he threw the wooden sword at the ground near his feet.

Perseus stared at the sword before looking up to stare at the doctore.

"Pick it up!"

The doctore yelled once again, "Perseus!" and sprung his whip forward, only for Perseus to catch it with his wrist.

"I am not your slave!"

The doctore pulled his whip back and watched Perseus' body fly to the ground, "Your life is ours to command."

Perseus stood up and kicked the wooden sword that was still on the ground and stepped back in line with the other recruits.

The doctore went on, "Perhaps the coward needs an advantage."

The little slave boy opened a chest and brought him a gladius, he raised his arm back and threw the sword and watched as it embedded itself in the sands beneath their feet.

"Pick it up!"

Perseus did nothing as the doctore sighed, "I can do nothing with this one." He spoke towards Batiatus, "Send him to the mines."

In the moment, Perseus rolled and pick up the gladius that was in the sand and raised his arm wanting to bring it down towards the doctore, only to be intercepted by Luke who threw him onto the ground and kicked the sword from his grasp.

"Feeling rested now are we?" He smirked as he kicked the sword towards Perseus.

Luke wasted no time attacking Perseus as soon as he had picked the sword up, not giving him anytime to defend. Perseus was being pushed back with no hopes of gaining an upper hand.

Luke stepped back as Perseus slowly but surely got up to his feet once again.

"An attack must be on correct footing." The doctore spoke as he walked around the two. "Luke, he has correct balance and footing." He turned towards Perseus, "You attempted to attack without having correct balance."

The doctore shook his head in disgust as he watched Perseus continue to attack Luke relentlessly, all the while still not being able to touch him.

"If you do not use the correct balance and footing, you are dead."

"If you come entangled with a stronger opponent with no plan, you are dead."

The doctore's criticism continued.

Perseus had taken a beating, as a final attempt he threw the blade towards the back of Luke only for him to turn around and bat it away with the end of his wooden sword. The blade cut the neck of another new recruit as they all watched him bleed out onto the sands beneath them.

The men laughed at the new recruits unfortunate luck.

"Hurl your sword in the arena, and you are dead!" The doctore finished.

Perseus was pushed to the ground as Luke's wooden sword found itself around his neck as the doctore walked towards him, "Your foolish actions have cost a life and some money. But your life may yet be redeemed. Two fingers." The doctore raised his index and middle fingers, "Two fingers, a sign of defeat and acceptance. Raise your two fingers and your life will be spared in the games."

"Now beg for your life, you Thracian dog."

Perseus stared into the eyes of Luke that towered over his body, the wooden sword still up against his neck. Perseus' hand balled up into a fist, an act of defiance.

"Bash his skull in." The doctore said.

Luke raised his sword, only to be interrupted by Batiatus. "Luke!" He shook his head.

"Continue training." The doctore nodded, Batiatus and his wife left the balcony and headed back inside.

The doctore raised his whip and struck the ground before him. The new recruits were all given wooden swords and shields as they began practicing. Correct footing, technique, strength training, endurance, they were taught everything. Day in and day out.

Every day was a day full of pain,they would work from sunrise to sundown. They were barely given much to eat.

Wooden pillars were used for strength training. Perseus and the new recruits would pick them up, put them down, only to pick them back up. Over and over again. They would walk the entire length of the training grounds in the ludus with the wooden pillars on their backs as method of endurance training as well.

The heat was unbearable, sweat would coat their bodies until they were dripping. Perseus would do the same grueling training every day for the next few months. The doctore nodded his head in approval as the once Thracian dog had finally become a lion.

The bodies of the new recruits would be littered all over the sand as Perseus stood tall above them. No longer did the doctore correct his footwork or his technique, it had all become muscle memory to him. Hours of strength training with the wooden pillars had done wonders to his body, his muscles were lean and hard, his vascularity bulged underneath his skin.

Dinner was served early that day, the house of Batiatus had much to do in preparations that night for the next day as Glaber had rescheduled his visit.

Perseus sat by his lonesome, the new recruits around him talking excitedly.

"I hear you win coin if you win in the arena. I can buy my freedom and pay off my debt and be reunited with my family again. Not even the gods can keep us apart."

Perseus turned towards him, "You are a fool. You will be forever trapped within the arena."

Ω

"Only one or two show promise, the rest can die in the mines for all I care." The doctore said as he was seen walking with Batiatus.

Batiatus stopped walking, "Glaber visits tomorrow, and these men are all we have to show off in the arena! Break them so they can become gladiators or throw them to the mines!"

"Understood master Batiatus, your will, my hands."

Batiatus walked back towards his office, "You are three months past your due date on your grain, Batiatus, I would very much like to receive my payment already."

A man stood in front of him, the supplier of his grain and food.

"Three months, you say? Surely it couldn't have been that long."

"Three months to the date."

"The games start soon, if I can carry my debt over until the games are through, I can surely pay you off."

"With a thirty percent principle."

"Thirty percent?" Batiatus asked at hearing such a high interest rate.

"Or pay your dues." The man threatened.

Batiatus nodded, "Principle plus thirty percent, the day off the games."

The man nodded in agreement, "The day after.. Or else."

Batiatus watched the man leave with an angered look on his face as he ripped the piece of parchment the man had given him up.

Ω

Perseus and the new recruits were all sprawled out in one large cell room, all but Perseus were talking trash about the gladiators.

Perseus eavesdropped on their conversation as he was the only one sitting far away from them.

"I hope I don't have to face Luke in the final test."

"Hah! You won't even make it that far you cock sucker!"

"What's beyond the final test?"

The recruit's eyes glazed over, "Freedom." He said.

Many of the recruits scoffed, "Freedom."

But the recruit continued, "Win the hearts of the arena and you will be blessed with both coin and your freedom."

One turned towards Perseus and asked, "You've fought the gladiators in the arena, what do you think of our chances?"

Perseus turned his attention away from him, "You're all going to die."

A key turned as the cell door was opened, the doctore stepped in, "Up!"

He stared at them all, especially at Perseus, "You will sleep once you have proven yourselves as men."

Their training that night was even more rigorous than anything before, countless hours of fighting with no rest, carrying not one, but two wooden pillars on their backs as Perseus and the new recruits walked around in circles for long hours.

If one recruit even dare dropped the wooden pillar he was carrying on his back, the doctore would whip his back and yell, "Keep walking!"

Batiatus stared down at his recruits as his wife came up from behind him. "It's late." She said.

He took a sip of his wine, "Yes it is. Return to your dreams."

She took the cup out of his hands and started drinking herself, "In a minute."

Batiatus sighed, "Everything must go exactly as planned tomorrow. If I can secure Glaber's patronage then we will have everything like we used to, our coffers will be full of gold. Our pools will be overflowing with water."

"We will have it all back!" She ran her hand through his hair.

"How are you so certain?" He asked.

"We've done everything that we can, it's in the hands of the gods now."

She kissed his forehead, "Now come to bed."

Batiatus raised his head up towards the heavens, as if speaking to the gods themselves, "Please do not fuck me!"

Ω

The sun had risen, Perseus and the new recruits were still walking in their circle. Fatigue had set in and their movements had gotten slow and sluggish. Their backs covered in scars from the doctore's whip.

"Halt!" The doctore shouted.

"The day's training will begin shortly." Perseus and the recruits dropped the pillars from the backs and fell to the ground tired.

"Stand up and eat." The doctore said before walking away.

"Oh Zeus' cock!" One of the recruits moaned, "Now we train all day? No rest?" Fuck the gods!"

Perseus turned towards him, "Still believe you'll earn your freedom?"

The recruit beside him nodded.

"What a fool you still are then." Perseus said before turning away and walking towards the ludus to eat his breakfast.

As the recruits followed Perseus to get food, the gladiator named Ethan stood beside the pot of porridge and knocked it over as the men howled in laughter. A few of the recruits did not care and jumped on the floor to eat what was left inside the pot.

The gladiators started laughing at their unluckiness.

Perseus moved over to sit by himself once again at the end of the tables.

A man sat in front of him, and passed his bread over to him.

Perseus stared at him, "You would give me your bread?"

"Mine? No. I move things from here to there. From hand to hand. This is just from the kitchen of Batiatus. If you ever need anything let Travis know."

"Speak plainly." Perseus demanded.

Travis turned around and looked at Luke briefly, "A slip of a sword can always happen." He said before getting up and leaving.

Perseus was left with many thoughts of his own.

Two men came and grabbed him and took him back to his cell.

Ω

Perseus was shackled once again when he woke up, footsteps jarred him awake as he looked on as he saw the face of Glaber standing in front of his cell. He stood as the guard opened the gate for the Roman Legatus and he walked to stand in front of Perseus.

"Glaber…" Perseus whispered.

"You will address me by my title of Legatus, you Thracian dog."

Perseus jumped towards him only to realize he could do nothing as he was shackled and could barely move his arms or legs.

"An animal." The Legatus commented. "You have proven to be a grievance to me."

"Deserting the auxiliary, undermining my authority, imperiling my standing with the senate!" Glaber all but yelled. "And then in the arena, you grieved me again by not knowing when to die."

"If you wish to kill me, then so be it."

"Your life is not yours to bargain with anymore, Thracian. If I so much as wanted you dead, then I would make it happen. Batiatus would make it happen."

"True, I once saw death as repayment for the grievances you have caused me. But now I see the error of thinking that way. That would be a quick end for you. No, I want your agony to carry on. My desires have turned to blood. I would see it that your blood be spilled in the arena. Spilled time after time, until you are drained." A hard look adorned his face as he spoke. "I told you Rome's shadow was vast and you have yet to die under it. But all in due time, Thracian. Sliver by sliver, with the roar of the crowd, you will die."

Glaber turned his back and headed towards the cell door, "Oh, a parting goodbye, I should say." He reached into his pockets and pulled out a trident necklace as Perseus instantly remembered what it was. Glaber dropped it on the ground before him as he walked out of the cell door.

Perseus grabbed the chain and brought it closer to his heart, it was the only thing he had left of his mother. The trident glowed bright green for a split second once again.

Glaber returned, "Finally the Thracian knows his place before me! On his knees."

Perseus ignored him as he continued to clutch the trident necklace close to his chest.

Ω

Perseus was unshackled and pushed towards the training grounds of the Ludus as the wife of Glaber, Batiatus and his wife Lucretia stood above them in the balcony. He had a look of defeat on his face once again as he just stood there motionless.

"Recruit! Spar with Perseus!"

A wooden sword was thrown at him, Perseus caught it by it's hilt as the recruit attacked him.

"Show Perseus what you learned in his absence. Form one, attack!"

Perseus dodged and weaved as he was pushed back by a mere recruit, he was finally beginning to understand why gladiators were the fiercest of fighters, even the weakest of men could become a god if they learned to fight like a gladiator.

Perseus in the corner of his eyes saw Glaber walked through the front gates, and out of the ludus. The recruit struck him in the face with the edge of the wooden sword because Perseus wasn't paying attention and sent him crashing towards the ground

In a burst of anger, Perseus speared the recruit and got on top of him. He grabbed his head and headbutted him, and threw punches at him one after another.

The doctore yelled his name but he heard nothing as he continued to beat the recruit laying down underneath him.

He wrapped his hands around the recruits neck and started squeezing, cutting his source of air off.

The doctore's whip estranged itself around Perseus' neck as he was pulled off of the recruit as it was now his turn to have trouble breathing.

The doctore pulled his whip back as Perseus slowly got up to his feet.

"You are nothing but a savage, Thracian."

Ω

Perseus stood before Batiatus, as he spoke, "Do you know why you're here? Why you're under my roof? Under my hospitality?"

Perseus answered back swiftly, "Because I trusted in the honor of a Roman."

Batiatus shook his head, "No, you're here because of my grandfather. He built this ludus. He believed that no man was without worth. That even the most vile among us could rise to power and glory. He instilled these beliefs in my father, and my father instilled them in me. I am a trainer of gladiators, I see things in men that even men themselves can't see. I see a spark in you, an ember, a small tinder, I give that flame air, and let it ignite in the arena!"

"I burn for no cause but my own." Perseus stated.

"And what cause would that be?" Batiatus scoffed, "Money? You've already cost me quite a bit of that. Power? That is in your hands, become a gladiator and write your own legacy!"

"Climb to the pinnacle, gain your freedom, fight for me in the arena!"

"Pass the final test and the world is yours!"

Ω

A large stage had been set up for the final test, a fight between a recruit and a gladiator. If the recruit were to knock the gladiator off the stage, they would become one as them. The final test.

Perseus watched as some of the recruits lost, and a very few won. It was time for his turn.

"Perseus! Luke! Positions!" The doctore commanded, as the two climbed the stairs to get on top of the stage.

"One final lesson, before I send you to the afterlife." Luke spoke, confident in his abilities.

"Begin!"

Luke crouched down to get into position and watched as Perseus just stood there, the man before him had lost everything, he had nothing else to lose.

Luke attacked him head on, slashing away at his arm and leaving a deep cut, blood streaming down Perseus' arm. He was soon dropped to the ground and barely had time to bring his shield up to protect himself. He had nothing left to lose.

"Kill them all." A voice rang in his mind.

The voice of his mother.

The trident that hung around his neck glowed a bright green in the night time as the ground rumbled just like it did before. Perseus swiped Luke's legs and watched as the man toppled to the ground. The sea beneath the ludus rose to help Perseus, refreshing him, healing him, giving him power to defeat the beast of Athens.

Many were looking on in shock, never before had they seen such phenomenon.

A powered Perseus struck Luke, his blade cutting well through his shield. He raised his sword to strike him once again.

"Stop! You have passed your test Perseus."

The doctore had his whip ready just in case he tried to do anything he wasn't told to do. Perseus lowered his sword and nodded towards Batiatus, accepting him as his master.

"I commit my flesh, my mind, my will, to the glory of this ludus and the commands of my master Batiatus. I swear to be burned, beaten, chained, or die by the sword. For the pursuit of honor in the arena."

The letter B was tattooed on the inside of his forearm after his pledge to the ludus, the mark of his master Batiatus.

"Welcome to the brotherhood."

 **A/N - thank you for reading, please do comment and review where I could have done better. I would also like some criticism and comments on what the pairing should be. Once again, I appreciate the support.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - Enjoy, thank you for the reviews and follows.**

 **Previously on Blood and Honor**

" _I commit my flesh, my mind, my will, to the glory of this ludus and the commands of my master Batiatus. I swear to be burned, beaten, chained, or die by the sword. For the pursuit of honor in the arena."_

 _The letter B was tattooed on the inside of his forearm after his pledge to the ludus, the mark of his master Batiatus._

" _Welcome to the brotherhood."_

 **Third Person POV**

Perseus stood in his cell underneath the ludus of Batiatus, strapping his thin leather chestplate. Sitting down to tie the shin guards on his legs. He grabbed his trident necklace and stared at it in his hands. Reminiscing of all the good times back in his village in Thrace. His thoughts led him to his mother, his beautiful mother who had given up so much for him, all for her to die by the hand of a barbarian. He tied the trident necklace around his neck and stood up and grabbed his helm that sat on the thin mattress.

The day's training had begun.

His mind wasn't in the day's training, constantly making mistakes, catching the attention of the dark skinned Doctore.

"Perseus!"

He turned around to see the doctore walking towards, whip ready in hand.

"You charge without thought. A weakness an opponent can turn to advantage."

"A difficult thing to do considering his back was facing me."

The doctore stared, "You speak without thought as well." He grabbed Perseus' arm while he wasn't paying attention and knocked his legs out from underneath him and watched him fall to the ground.

"Another weakness." Doctore pointed out.

The men around them started laughing, "Thracians. Only know how to lay on their backs with their legs spread wide."

Luke agreed, "Like they belong."

The doctore interrupted, "Forgot everything that you've learned beyond these walls. For that is the world of men. We are more. We are gladiators!" The men cheered. "Study, train, bleed." The doctore looked at the eyes of the men in front of him one by one carefully, as if knowing which ones would make it to the end. "And one day, your name will be legend. Spoken in hushed whispers, in fear." He finished.

"The city speaks of Luke, the champion of Capua!" The doctore raised his muscled and vascular arm and pointed it towards Luke. "But his legend wasn't born in the arena, it was given life here, in this ludus. Under the sting of my whip." He yelled as he brought his whip down to strike the sand underneath their feet. "Attack!"

The men, including Perseus, got back to their training. Ingraining in the minds and body the forms needed to live in the arena. The doctore walked around them all, nodding and smiling the smallest of smiles, his teachings were paying off.

Soon enough, Perseus was the only one left in the training grounds, still swinging his sword, teaching himself correct footing, and everything else the doctore preached about. Sweat covered his body as he kept going, relentlessly.

He kept going throughout the entire night and was still out there swinging away as the men woke up and got ready for the next day's training session.

The wooden pillars were picked up, thrown back on the ground, and picked up again. Boulders of immense size were rolled around the training ground. Pull ups were performed on the large tree branches around the ludus.

The men were only given a few minutes of rest everyday, water was scarce and most of the time most would only get a cup, two at most, a day. The heat was incredible, making it hard to breathe due to the humidity.

The days had gone by, Perseus doing nothing but train, his reflexes, his mindset, his body had all progressed further. Even though his training at the ludus wasn't as long as some of the other gladiators, he had learned considerably under the teachings of the doctore and could put up a hefty fight. No longer would they embarrass him, instead he was able to disarm some of them.

"Attend!" The doctore announced, carrying a piece of parchment in his hand. "The vulcanalia has been announced." Perseus and the other men gathered around him to hear him speak.

"Vulcanalia?" One asked.

"A festival." The doctore answered. "Master Batiatus, has seen it fit for 20 to fight in this year's vulcanalia." He looked around at their faces, "His gift to the people of Capua. Our lowest gladiators to fight at the start, and then pairs of two to fight before the final fight. Your master will present your primus." He continued, "Two of our finest gladiators, to meet in the arena."

The doctore turned his back and left, leaving the men to wonder just who the two would be.

"Luke then?" Perseus asked the man beside him.

The man nodded, "Luke, certainly."

"And his opponent?"

The man scoffed and looked at him incredulously, "Against the champion of Capua? What would it matter?" He left to go back to his training, leaving Perseus to his own thoughts.

Perseus caught the eyes of Luke staring into his own before turning away and walking back to the cells that lie beneath the ludus.

Ω

Night time had set in with the moon high in the sky, the guards of the ludus were out with torches in their hands protecting the ludus from anyone that wasn't friendly.

"Twenty men. I give them twenty men, I pay for the vulcanalia out of my own pocket and what do I get from the senate? An apology that they won't be able to attend due to pressing concerns."

"For what?" The woman that was in the room asked.

"Hmm, who knows. Rumor has it that he dines with another."

Batiatus walked back inside from where he previously stood and noticed the necklace on his wife's neck, "Is that new?"

She nodded.

Batiatus sighed, "Zeus' cock, the rise of the cost of this fucking place."

"This drought has fucked us over, our coffers are barely filling and without the senate at the vulcanalia we won't get any return."

"Darling, you must spend coin to receive coin." His wife Lucretia said as she sat on his lap. "My husband taught me that." She smiled knowingly.

Batiatus nodded, "A wise man, he is."

She laughed, "She has his moments." She put a hand on his face, "And the vulcanalia will be one of them."

Batiatus clicked his tongue and turned his face, so she went on, "You will gain the favor of the crowd, delight them and secure business for years to come, and perhaps give cause to Glaber to provide patronage to you and Capua."

"Glaber?"

She nodded, "I have received word that his wife will be attending the festival, she's acquired quite a taste for them. I will definitely nourish that and see if she can get word to her husband for us."

Batiatus ran his hands through her newly dyed blonde hair, "This blonde hair suits you."

She winked, "Shall I dye the rest?"

Ω

The sun had risen over the mountains that surrounded the ludus, birds chirped in the morning sun as the city below them bustled with activity. The men were woken up early in honor of the vulcanalia, given more to eat during breakfast than usual.

Picking at his loaf of bread, Perseus sat there thinking to himself as more joined him at the table. He looked over one man's shoulder to see Ethan and another boy feeding a pigeon. Perseus raised his wooden spoon that was for his porridge and pointed it at the bird, "That bird would be better served in my bowl."

"That meal would be your last." One man stated as Perseus looked at him questionably, so he went on, he jerked his head over to Ethan, "Legend has it that when the Romans invaded his village, they made thousands of his people fight in the arena. Only half a day had gone by and he was the only one left. He had slain over a thousand people because his will to survive was so great. Even his own father died by the hands of his son."

The two looked over at Ethan petting the pigeon ever so gently as if it was the most fragile thing he had ever held.

"Is it true?" Perseus asked.

The man in front of him stirred his porridge, "In the world of the gladiators, a man's fame and glory, constructs its own truth."

"Fame and glory… I see neither." Perseus said before returning back to his breakfast.

Ω

"Form one, ready!"

The men all lined up in a line swung their swords as the doctore walked past in front of them.

"One!"

Swords were swung.

"Two!"

Shields were positioned in front of them."

"Form two, ready!"

Swords were brought down in an arc as they all crouched on one knee and brought their shields up over them.

"One!"

They all stood and repeat their stance.

"Two!"

Swords were swung yet again.

During the course of all this actions, Perseus' trident necklace had fallen to the ground. Stopping to pick it up only caused the doctore to walk near him.

"Stand!"

Perseus looked at him as he spoke, "Perseus, do you dream of the mines?"

"No doctore, my dream is only for blood and battle." Such a false answered was necessary to give, he didn't want anyone to know of his real plans.

"Yet your training today proves you of neither."

Perseus looked at him fiercely, "I am a Thracian, the need for battle is in my blood."

"Thrace?" The doctore said as he pulled his pants down, "A swamp of piss." He pissed on the ground in front of Perseus to prove his point, the gladiators around them laughing at the sight.

The doctore pulled his pants up, "Kneel."

Perseus stared at him, fury clouding his mind and judgement. But all the less, he kneeled, too angry to say anything or do much else.

"The lands from which you hail matters no longer." The doctore said as he walked around Perseus to stand behind him, "The only thing that does is the sound of my voice and the sand beneath your feet." He kicked Perseus' back and watched him fall face first into the damp, piss covered sand. The gladiators around them once again laughing at him.

Perseus stood up and spit the sand out that had gotten in his mouth.

The doctore went out, "You will learn to worship it, back to training!" He walked away.

"The sand smells like Thrace." Luke walked forward, "Perhaps I should shit on it to complete the aroma?"

The men around them laughed once more.

A guard walked forward and stood in front of Luke, "You are summoned."

Ω

Walking up the stairs of the ludus, Luke found himself in front of a servant, one he had never seen before. Her dark black hair and her bright blue eyes stood out, her skin was a pale white.

Luke had never before seen such beauty.

"My lady has summoned you to her chambers."

Luke didn't listen to her, "What is your name?"

She didn't respond, so he went on, "I have never seen you here before."

"I was just recently bought at the slave auction." Her eyes didn't meet his when she spoke.

"Will you watch me in the games later tonight?"

She shook her head, "I do not favor the games."

He laughed, "That is rather ironic for a slave that works at a gladiator's ludus."

He realize that she took the first part of his comment as an insult, he grabbed her arm, "I did not meet to insult."

She looked at him, hurt. "My lady awaits."

He regretfully nodded as he walked into the chambers of Batiatus' wife, Lucretia.

"You walk too slowly to my chambers." A voice came from behind the curtain.

"I did not meet to arouse any suspicion or make the men think I was here to kill you, my lady." Luke said respectfully.

"Then why are you here, champion of Capua?"

Luke looked down, "Whatever my lady desires."

Luke stood there and watched as the wife of Batiatus and the lady of the ludus walked before him in all her nude glory.

"I bought this necklace for the festival reception. Do you think it's too much?" She asked him as she toyed with the emerald necklace that was around her neck.

Luke nodded, "It makes my blood rise and boil. But not at the necklace, but for the person wearing it." He said those words in disgust as he looked into the eyes of the woman.

"And just makes blood boil?" She walked towards him.

He kept his eyes fixed on her and said in covered disgust, "Your lips, your breath, and all of the pleasures below." He said the last part and took a good look at her body.

She walked in front of him and rubbed her hand down his chest and down his chiseled abs and inside his pants and grabbed him.

She brought her face near his ear and whispered, "I need your cock inside me." She kissed him, "And I need it in me now."

He kissed her and pushed her on her bed.

Ω

"Never lose focus!" The doctore said as he watched a gladiator fall to the ground, having lost the spar between him and another.

He pointed at the man on the ground with his whip, "A gladiator's first distraction is his last. But not all contests end in death."

The man on the ground raised two fingers.

"Two fingers, a sign of surrender. And shame."

'To surrender in the arena?' Perseus thought to himself, 'I cannot do it.'

Ω

"Gather!" The doctore said as he stood before the men who had started bathing for the festival that night. "Your master's hand has been at work. The pairings for the vulcanalia have been decided." He turned towards Luke, "Luke, champion of Capua and the undefeated. You will honor the house of Batiatus in the festival's primus tonight."

"Who will challenge me doctore?" He said as he stood before the dark skinned man.

"A man of skill and dedication. His ability, his hard work and his hunger shall be rewarded." The dark skinned doctore said, "Will!"

The figure of a blonde man walked forward and clasped forearms with Luke, "An honor to finally meet you in battle brother."

"Just don't die too soon."

"I will fuck your corpse."

Both men laughed and wrapped arms around one another, a sign of brotherhood.

"The rest will be announced by Grover." The doctore turned his back and left as Perseus turned to look at the boy that held the parchment, he's legs both had steel braces around them, evident that he had a hard time walking.

The men didn't give the boy a chance as they pushed him aside and grabbed the parchment out of his hands.

Perseus was the last of the men who read the parchment, seeing his name at the very bottom of the list, pitted against the boy with the leg braces, Grover.

He growled in anger, to have him fight at the beginning of the games as one of the lowest of gladiators was an insult to him. He had to work his way up.

Ω

The festival preparations had begun as men were doing their final moments of training, the man that was supposed to fight Luke in the primus of the festival stood by the wall of the ludus, throwing his net over a wooden dummy and spearing it later.

Perseus walked over, "Your aim is exquisite with that aim of yours, battling a ferocious wooden dummy." His voice dripped of sarcasm. "There you stand with your fierce net, like a girl."

Will in anger ran towards Perseus only for him to move out of the way, his face slammed into the wall as his nose broke and blood rushed down his face, dripping from both nostrils and passed out moments after.

The men stopped their workout soon afterwards wanting to see what was going on. The doctore walked over to see what had happened, his gaze accusingly looking at Perseus.

"The man has gone mad, the early day sun from earlier today has fallen over his head." Perseus said innocently.

"I saw his eyes, they were wild with thirst." The boy from earlier, Grover, said. Perseus looked over at him in surprise, he hadn't expected the boy to help him in his lie.

The doctore sighed, "Tend to the man!" He barked.

Two men rushed over and grabbed Will by his arms and carried him off to the cells beneath the ludus, calling a healer to come tend to his wounds.

"Back to work!" The doctore yelled as the men who were standing around went back to their last minute training.

An hour had passed, and the doctore returned. "Gladiators! Your time has come, get dressed, the reception starts soon."

Bathing themselves in a quick manner the gladiators were then given a thin long toga like cloth to cover themselves. One half of the cloth wrapped around their waist and ended mid thigh, the other half draped around their shoulders, leaving their chest visible.

When Perseus and the others entered the reception hall, the reception had already begun. Guests of honor from many cities walked around, the feast was grand and was noticeably exquisite.

"Friends, old and new." Batiatus started as he made his way to the center, I thank you for honoring the ludus of Batiatus with your presence this fine eve. Tonight's vulcanalia promises many glories in the arena, but for now, may I present to you the finest gladiator's in the entire republic!"

Perseus and the rest were ushed out towards the center as all eyes were on them.

"Look, touch and feel the quality of my gladiators! Place bets on the men you covet. Come! Don't be bashful, they won't bite." Batiatus beckoned his guests towards his gladiators. For good measure he added jokingly, "And if they do, a ten percent discount." Light laughter rang through the crowd.

The guests, especially the female ones made their way over to Perseus and the others, touching them, feeling their muscles.

As they were doing that, Batiatus made his way over to the doctore who was standing off to the side against the wall. "The crowded favors the Thracian, don't they?" He asked as both watched as many of the females were all around Perseus, feeling his muscles underneath their soft hands, his performance against four other gladiators had gotten their interest.

The doctore nodded, "Curiosity. Of how he managed to kill four men in the arena without being trained as one."

"Perhaps we can fuel this interest in the way of coin. With Will out of commission and his nose broken, he won't be able to fight in the primus tonight. What would you make of Perseus as a replacement for him in the primus?" He asked his servant.

"With respect Batiatus, the public wants to see a fight, Perseus is still an animal in regards to the other ones."

Batiatus nodded, "One day else then." He didn't say anything else before leaving.

He had other plans.

"Good citizens, you have enjoyed my food, my wine, my beautiful presence of my wife, now marvel at the announce of tonight's primus! Luke! The champion of Capua, will stride across the sands of the arena to fight against the Thracian, Perseus!"

The doctore looked at his master Batiatus with surprise, he had no idea he would set those two up for battle in the arena.

The gladiators around the hall also looked surprise, many of them had spent years at the ludus, training, putting their hardest efforts in to be a part of the primus, only for it to be given to someone new.

"A fight for the ages, glory to Capua! Glory to Rome!" Batiatus' hype proved to be successful as the men and women around them cheered for the primus fight that was soon to come later that night.

Ω

The newly bought slave girl walked down the stairs that led to the cellar on her ladies orders to get more wine, she bent down to grab the last jug but a hand grabbed her shoulder. Startled she dropped the jug and watched as the contents got all over the ground, the wine seeped into the cracks on the ground and drizzled down cell.

"I did not mean to startle. When we spoke last, I meant no offense." Luke said to the girl that was bent over the ground, collecting the broken pieces of the jug off the floor, a panicked look on her face. "I am practiced with sword, not words."

She shook her face, "If my lady discovers I dropped the last jug of wine-" She didn't finish her sentence because she knew what her punishment would be.

Luke stuck his arm out the cell door, "Hand me the pieces, I'll see them over the cliff."

The girl carefully placed the broken pieces of the jug in his hands as Luke stuck his other hand out and placed his hand above hers. He stared into her bright blue eyes. They were electrifyingly blue and yet beautiful.

She got up to leave.

"Wait!"

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Will you be watching me later tonight?"

She didn't say anything, only repeated what she had told him last time, "I am not a fan of these games."

She walked up the stairs that led up the cell, he watched her go up. She turned around and stopped once again, "My name is Thalia."

For the first time in his life, he smiled a true genuine smile out of happiness.

Ω

The time had come for the final primus, Perseus stood watching the rest of the gladiators fight in their events one by one, a few had fallen to the sword but none were too relevant to be remembered.

The men shamed him and said he had no chance.

"Hah! This little man thinks he can take on anyone, he probably thinks he can defeat Thanatos himself!"

Perseus nodded, "Perhaps, if I knew the man."

The man that had spoken quieted down, "Thanatos. The shadow of death. Thanatos is no man, Thracian. He is something else entirely. They say he stands ten feet tall, the very ground trembling at his feet. His figure, eclipsing the sun. Most would would faint at the sight of the giant. But they are the fortunate ones." He gulped, scared at his own story, and continued, "He had the power to sever a man in half without breaking a sweat. My father said his shadow fought a hundred men at once, but only one survived."

Perseus shook his head, "Nothing but a tale to frighten children."

"Thanatos is no legend. Before he retired from the arena, only one man faced him and ever lived." One man said

"And he breathes among us." Another man finished. "His whip ever at our backs."

The doctore walked up and stood in front of the cell, "Now is not the time for idle talk. You fight Luke next, Thracian. Get ready."

When Perseus stepped foot into the arena, dark clouds had gathered above, the thunderous sound of lightning was there but no lightning struck the ground. The stands were filled to the brim with people, all cheering and going wild.

Perseus' trident necklace glowed brightly underneath his chestplate as he walked towards the center of the arena and stood before the champion of Capua, Luke.

The crowd cheered louder at his appearance.

"Marvel before your knees at the champion of Capua!" Batiatus spoke loudly and introduced the fighters, "He is known by his sword, by his shield, by his glory!" Luke cheered with his sword and shield in the air.

The girl from earlier, Thalia, stood behind her lady and stared down at Luke with a certain emotion evident on her face. He noticed, but couldn't quite tell.

"In the sacred name of Batiatus-" He couldn't finish, Perseus had already started fighting before their master even told them to begin.

Perseus charged at him, only for Luke to place his shield on top of him. Perseus placed his foot on top of the shield and jumped over him, bringing his sword down towards him, only to be blocked by Luke's blade.

Batiatus looked down in anger, specifically pointed at Perseus, the man wouldn't even let him finish his speech. An animal, just like the doctore said.

The two gladiators fought gracefully in a circle, neither allowing the other to cut the other. But soon enough, Perseus knew that his body wasn't accustomed to the harsh realities of the arena. He did not have the endurance like Luke had.

He would eventually tire, while Luke wouldn't.

Perseus slammed into Luke with his shield, tossing him onto the sands only for Luke to roll out of the way and swept his blade at Perseus' legs. Perseus jumped up to evade the strike. He brought his sword down and tried to cut the man in front of him, Luke raised his shield and laughed, angering Perseus even more.

Sword met sword as sparks flew, shield met shield as pieces were broken off, sword hits were bounced off shields, bodies were pushed to the ground but the cruel training the doctore had put them through wouldn't let their defeats be so easy.

Perseus could see no openings in Luke's defense, the blonde Athenian was quite the swordsmen he would admit. However, Luke on the other hand clearly saw an opening that he would soon take advantage of. Just as doctore had said, Perseus charged without thinking and put his entire body weight into those sword strikes.

Luke saw him charge at him one more time, he side stepped and slammed his shield into the open left side of Perseus, knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the ground wheezing for air.

For the majority of the fight, Perseus was on the offensive and Luke was taking hits from nonstop, all fruitless on Perseus' end.

He had tired himself out too quickly.

Perseus knew that he had lost.

The doctore shook his head at his student's easy defeat.

Luke stood over Perseus as the crowd watched his body lay on the bloody sands of the arena, his sword kicked from his grasp. Luke laughed down at him and slashed his arms and legs and watched as blood dripped down and covered his limbs as it then dripped down onto the sand and got mixed with the other gladiator's blood that had previously covered the sands.

Luke took his helm off as he watched Perseus try to wiggle his way towards his sword. He looked over at Batiatus and saw his master nod his head, his eyes locked with the girl behind them as he marveled in her beauty in the middle of the fight.

Luke kicked Perseus in the face as he spit out blood, "Now now Thracian, is that all you're capable of?"

He walked towards Perseus' head and grabbed it, pulling him off the sand and got behind him and put his sword to his neck. Luke could already himself cutting the Thracians head off. His bloodlust overwhelming him.

"Now you die, Thracian." He whispered in his ear as he looked up at Batiatus and waited for his signal.

Perseus laid there with a sword on his neck, threatening to end his life. He had been beaten, outmatched and outclassed in every possible way. He had been embarrassed. But no, he couldn't die here. Not yet, not when he still had things to do.

The crowd cheered for his death, screaming at the top of their lungs, "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Perseus thought of his mother, she had told him to kill them all, and he planned on just doing that.

He remembered, two fingers, the doctore had said, a sign of surrender.

He raised two fingers into the air and watched as Batiatus squinted his eyes and watched in disbelief at what he was seeing.

Batiatus stood, "Perseus fought well." The crowd booed, "Let him live to fight another day."

Luke sneered in anger and removed the blade that was on Perseus' neck and threw him to the ground and walked away striding in anger.

Ω

That night Perseus sat alone in his cell, his body aching in pain. He had yet to bathe, dried blood and sand stuck to his skin as he carefully removed his armor so it wouldn't hurt his wounds further.

"His reputation is well earned," Perseus said carefully to the figure that stood in front of his cell late at night "My blade could find no weakness."

The doctore took a deep breath and sighed and walked into his cell and sat stood right in front of him, "And yet a weakness was there, at least ten points. Where you could've seized advantage." The doctore shook his head, "You needed more training."

Perseus looked up into the eyes of the doctore, a newfound determination shining in his bright green eyes. "I shall train harder then."

"No." The doctore disagreed, "It is far too late for such things." He walked away with that last sentence.

Perseus grabbed the trident necklace and clutched it to his chest as it once again glowed a bright green.

A tear ran down his face.

 **A/N - Thank you for reading, please do leave a review and tell me what you thought about the chapter, as well as what you think about the story so far.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - Yo, sorry for the late update. I work full-time so I haven't really had the chance yet till now to sit down and write. Thanks for all the reviews and comments, seems like most are enjoying the story so far. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Previously on Blood and Honor**

 _That night Perseus sat alone in his cell, his body aching in pain. He had yet to bathe, dried blood and sand stuck to his skin as he carefully removed his armor so it wouldn't hurt his wounds further._

 _"His reputation is well earned," Perseus said carefully to the figure that stood in front of his cell late at night "My blade could find no weakness."_

 _The doctore took a deep breath and sighed and walked into his cell and sat stood right in front of him, "And yet a weakness was there, at least ten points. Where you could've seized advantage." The doctore shook his head, "You needed more training."_

 _Perseus looked up into the eyes of the doctore, a newfound determination shining in his bright green eyes. "I shall train harder then."_

 _"No." The doctore disagreed, "It is far too late for such things." He walked away with that last sentence._

 _Perseus grabbed the trident necklace and clutched it to his chest as it once again glowed a bright green._

 _A tear ran down his face._

 **Third Person POV**

The next morning, two guards and came and picked him up. Cuffs were put around his wrists as he was pulled towards the cliff beside the ludus. The guards didn't care, they threw him down as he looked down and realized just how high they were. The ocean beneath them rushed and would come in waves.

Batiatus stood before him and placed his foot on his abdomen and pushed down hard, knocking the breath out of him. "Do you think me a fool?"

Perseus shook his head no.

"Yet you dishonor me, an oath was sworn. You would submit to gladiatorial training, call me master, tend to the rules. But instead, your haste bested you. Defying the doctore, usurping the other gladiator for his position in the final primus to face Luke in the arena." He laughed incredulously, "Your first fight as a gladiator against Luke, the champion of fucking Capua."

Perseus looked up, "I have realized my mistake."

"Mistake!" Batiatus sighed and ran his hands through his wild curly dark gray hair. "Fuck!" He pointed his finger down at Perseus and leaned forward, "You had the crowd, you survived against four gladiators before I bought you, your name was on every tongue, now? After your showing with Luke, your name is spoken of with contempt. Your little mistake makes things problematic." He spit in Perseus' face and stood up.

"I will try harder in the arena. My winnings will grant me my freedom."

Batiatus laughed again, "Your winnings? The crowd does not want to see you fight anymore. You are nothing but a lost cause to me."

Two guards came and picked Perseus up by his arms and picked him up, he stood eye to eye with Batiatus, "There must be a way for me to fight." The determination was evident in his bright green eyes.

Batiatus rubbed his palms together, "Only one. A place where no rules exist." He walked closer to Perseus, "The pits of the Underworld. Fight there and survive and you will fill both our hands with coin.

He motioned for the guards to take him away.

Perseus was pushed back into his cell and was forced to lay on the cold hard floor as two gladiators were picked to help him prepare for the pit.

Ω

"A word, master." The doctore stopped Batiatus as he was making his way back to his bedroom chambers.

"Word has spread of the pit."

Batiatus raised his eyebrow, "You object?"

"It is a place full of agony and suffering. Beasts dying without honor. Your father would have never approved."

"The decision has been made." Batiatus said sternly as he looked at his doctore's face, "If the beast cannot be tamed, it must be unleashed."

The doctore looked on as his master walked away, a strange expression evident on his face.

Ω

Perseus walked out of his cell hours later covered in soot and ash, his face adorned in a red paint.

One of the gladiators looked up and jerked his head over to the direction of Perseus, "Where will they be taking him?"

Luke answered, "The underworld, where he belongs."

Perseus looked off to his left at the other gladiator that was also covered in paint, soot and ash, "Please tell me I don't look like shit like you?"

The man beside him didn't answer, "I won't be dying in the pits. I'll kill them all!"

Ω

An axe was swung at the man's head as he thought back to his words that he had spoken a few hours earlier, he hadn't managed to kill anyone but here he was, watching as the axe was swung at his head and that was all he remembered.

His head rolled off his neck and down to the grounds, joining the rest of the heads and limbs that adorned the grounds of the pit.

The pit had a large crowd and they all cheered at the bloody sight, their eyes wild and crazy, lustful for more blood. Some even going as far as picking limbs off the ground, sinking their teeth into it and sucking the blood and chewing on human flesh.

"Fuck!" Batiatus cursed as his man died.

Perseus stood off to the right in a smaller cell compared to his old one back in the ludus, he could hear the screams of joy and the screams of agony but what was the difference at this point, a scream of agony could also be a scream of joy, joy to finally die and get away to the afterlife.

The man crouched down beside the dead body of the gladiator who was once Batiatus' man and took a scythe from his pocket and proceeded to carve his face off his dead body. A symbol of victory.

He raised the flimsy skin that once covered the gladiator's face in the air and yelled in victory, the crowd around him joining along.

A second man came out to drag the dead body out of the pits, his blood staining the sands even more.

Perseus' cell door was unlocked moments later, a man grabbed his arm and pulled him out just as the man from earlier walked by with the face of the gladiator still raised in the air.

"May the gods favor you better, Thracian." Batiatus wished him luck as now it was Perseus' time in the pit. "For both our sakes."

Ω

"Your neck does not bare my gift."

Thalia shook her head, "It does not."

"You did not like it then?" Luke asked quietly as he was being led to the lady's bed chambers once again. "The necklace I gave you?"

She turned around and hushed him, "Lower your voice!" She stood before him in the hallway of the house of Batiatus, "Your gift." She reached inside her dress and took out the necklace he had given her a couple nights ago. "I cannot take it."

Luke grabbed it from her hands, his face covered in disappointment and hurt, but he covered that up fairly well. "Pardon my mistake."

"You must understand! I cann-"

Luke brushed past her, "You've made your intentions quite clear." He walked up the stairs to the lady's room and left her there in the dimly lit corridors of the house.

He walked into the bedroom chambers to see the wife of Batiatus standing against the wall with only a see through thin robe on.

"Does it excite you? Your very own footsteps turns your lady on."

Luke inwardly was disgusted, but he played along, "I would have you dripping even more."

She walked toward him, dropping the robe in the process, "Well, draw closer and make it so."

She noticed something in his hands, "What are you clutching?"

He turned to his side so she wouldn't see, "Show me." She demanded as he raised his hand up and showed her the necklace and said, "A humble gift, for a goddess."

She turned her back to him and moved her hair that was flowing down her back, "Put it on."

Luke draped it over her neck and clasped it around her neck, "Does it please you my lady?"

She didn't turn around, but instead walked toward her bed, bent over and arched her back, "I know what you can do to please me even more." She whispered.

But what they both didn't know was that the girl, Thalia, stood outside her bedroom and heard it all. A lonesome tear ran down her face.

Ω

Perseus was ushered to the makeshift podium that was created by the men of the pit, he saw another man off to the left, who he assumed would be his opponent. A dark skinned man stood in the center with a helm over his head.

"Witness the captive beasts!" He spoke wildly and loudly. "These beasts thirst for blood! Set to die in the pits! Let death descend upon them all!"

"Behold! Manticore Thorn!" Perseus was right, the man to the left was his opponent, he had a visor covering his face and you could only see his eyes. He had hair all over his body, more so than others.

"Behold! Perseus!" The dark skinned man pointed at him and introduced him to the crowd, an immediate response came from the crowd in the form of boo's.

"What weapons shall the god's bless them with?" The dark skinned man asked the crowd.

A nude woman walked forward with a bin full of thin sheets of parchment, she stood in front of the man named Thorn first as he picked a piece of parchment up.

"Thorn has been blessed with brass knuckles!"

The crowd cheered as he was handed them and he put on them on rather quickly.

The woman stood in front of Perseus as he drew.

"Perseus has drawn nothing! The god's have cursed him!"

The crowd cheered at his doom, hoping that he would die sooner with no real weapon.

Ethan stood behind Batiatus, "Thorn has the advantage."

Batiatus turned to him, "Thank you for the fucking obvious."

He turned his attention back to Perseus, "Fuck the gods!"

The dark skinned man spoke again, "Only one survives!"

"Let the games begin!"

Both men were taken to opposite sides of the pit by the guards and at once the man named Thorn came at Perseus, swing his arms one by one, his reach was incredible but it was also a weakness.

Perseus was now starting to realize what the doctore said about staying calm and calculative.

Thorn kept swinging his arms until Perseus' back was against the wall, with nowhere left to go, Thorn punched Perseus twice and Perseus left the brass knuckles tearing at his skin. His chest was already covered in blood.

Perseus pushed the man back and punched him in the stomach, he noticed he was much quicker than the man and had quicker reflexes. He could use that to his advantage. Thorn's movements were solely based on strength and he moved rather sluggishly.

Thorn rushed at him and kicked him down and started mercilessly beating him, his brass knuckled digging deeper wounds in his back. Perseus grabbed the man's ankle and pulled him down and got on top of him, bringing his fists down on his face one after another. He watched in satisfaction as blood ran down the man's face. His nose was already broken, he could tell. One more punch and three teeth flew from Thorn's mouth and into the sands under their feet.

Perseus grabbed the man's hand and used it to punch Thorn, the brass knuckles doing more than just make his face bleed, a crack sounded and Perseus could once again tell that his jaw had been broken in several places and he could barely keep his mouth shut.

Thorn pushed him off him as he slowly stood up and charged at Perseus only to be evaded. Perseus noticed a large hook that was hanging down from the roof of the cave that they were in and grabbed it and brought it upwards and watched as it stabbed through the side of Thorn's neck and out the other side. Blood sprayed from the open wound as the crowd cheered, Perseus had won their favor once again.

The dark skinned man yelled, "Perseus! Victor!"

Batiatus cheered along with the crowd, the return on his investment had begun. "Give him a moment's rest and then fight him again."

Perseus stood in the middle of the pit with blood all over his body, he basked in the cheers of the crowd, it fueled him with more power.

A medic tended to his wounds a few moments later, stitching him up wherever needed. He grunted in pain when the needle entered his skin but got used to the pain in a few seconds.

He could hear his mother's voice, "You're hurt."

He replied as if she were there, "I'm alright."

"You push yourself too far."

"And yet, I live."

She looked upset, "But for how long?"

He stared at the wall in front of him, "As long as it takes."

"Then kill them all." She whispered in his ear.

Perseus hissed in pain as the medic inserted a bigger needle to close up the wound that was on his back, he looked around and his mother was nowhere in sight.

Ω

He was taken to his cell in the ludus late that night, the gladiators of the ludus were all sprawled out on the floors leaving him barely any room.

He was thrown into the cell as the gladiators woke up.

"Ah, the man lives. I told you he'd live."

"What of the other one?"

Perseus shook his head, "He has fallen in the pits, never to rise again."

One of the gladiators stood up and walked over to him, "This is where gladiators sleep, dogs of the pit sleep with the dogs. Stay and you will wake up in the afterlife with the other who died."

The little boy from the other day sat beside him, "Perseus, don't mind those inbred fucks."

Perseus shook his head, "They speak the truth. I am no longer a gladiator, just a dog in the pit."

Grover put a hand on his shoulder, "You will become a gladiator once again."

Perseus looked at the hand that was on his shoulder, "What do you know of the pit?"

"Too much. " Grover sadly said.

"I wish to know."

Grover leaned back, "These fights in the pits, they're different than the arena. They twist the mind, turning men into beasts with no control."

Grover looked up at Perseus only to realize he had fallen asleep, he smiled, "Sleep then, and dream of better days my new friend."

Ω

The next morning's training had already begun before sunrise as gladiators were paired up into two's and were practicing forms one after another.

"Practice your opponent's flaws. Attack with your body and mind. Or risk tumbling into the pits of the Underworld just like Perseus." The doctore said as his eyes met Perseus' who was sitting off to the side watching them.

The men started laughing, only to be snapped at by the doctore, "The man is not a humor to be laughed at. He is a tale of caution."

"Eat!" He dismissed them as he walked back into the house.

Batiatus walked up to the balcony, "Ethan! I want Perseus well prepared for tonight. I want him fighting again."

Ethan walked over to Perseus, "Arise dog!" He grabbed ahold of him and pulled him inside the ludus cells to prepare him once again. "More death awaits."

Ω

The god's had blessed him with a weapon this time, a small dagger about ten inches while his opponent was given a ball and chain which he swung with expertise.

Batiatus stood nervously beside his men as he watched the fight. He could not afford to lose any more money than what he had already lost when he bought the Thracian.

The man swung the ball and chain at him once again as it bounced off Perseus' chest, fracturing his ribs. He ignored the pain as he continued dodging attack after attack. Weaving inside his opponent's guard was easy, he left himself wide open when he raised the chain and swung the ball.

Perseus ducked underneath the ball and slashed at the man's legs multiple times, cuts littered his thighs as blood dripped down onto the sands.

Perseus swiped the man's legs from underneath him and rolled them over until he was right on top of him, he grabbed the man's face and dug his thumbs into his eyes, crushing his eyes were easy but the man still fought even without his eyesight so he rolled them over and grabbed the man's head in a headlock and squeezed. Second by second the man lost strength and lost consciousness. Perseus grabbed his dagger off the ground and stabbed it right through the men's skull.

The crowd cheered with bloodlust at Perseus' victory once again.

"Yes!" Batiatus yelled, "Now that's how you send a dog to the afterlife!"

Perseus breathing heavily stood up slowly, and dusted himself off.

"Perseus! Victor!" The dark skinned man announced.

Batiatus walked forward, "Prepare yourself, you fight again."

More and more dead bodies littered the pit arena, Perseus was heavily covered in blood as he slew yet another man that he was up against. The crowd favored him once again, they considered him the beast that defies death. No matter who he fought, the outcome would be the same. The dark skinned man would yell out, "Perseus! Victor!"

Ω

Wrapping a towel around his waist, Luke exited the baths. A guard stopped him, "Luke you are summoned."

Thalia stood outside the cell as the guard unlocked it and let Luke out.

"Thank you." She nodded to the guard as she led Luke up the stairs.

Luke made way to his lady's chambers when she whispered, "Wait!"

He stopped, "You know I can not take too long, my lady's desires can not kept waiting."

"She did not summon you."

He turned around, "Then why am I here?"

"The necklace, you purchased it for me but why does it grace the neck of our lady?"

Luke laughed, "You have the mind of a woman." He walked back down the stairs and stood in front of her, "You deflect my gesture, only to question where it lands. Your words, I do not wish to hear." He turned around and was about to call out to the guard to open the cell door.

She grabbed his face and turned him around, "Yes, my words that you cut off earlier before completion."

"Well then, complete."

"It is impossible for me to keep the necklace despite my desire in doing so, there is nothing in my possession that wasn't given to me by our lady. Did you not think that she would not notice?"

Realization dawned upon his face, "I misunderstood your meaning in returning my gesture."

"Of course you misunderstood it. You have no mind outside the arena. You think only with your sword and shield, you stupi-"

She didn't have time to finish her sentence, Luke caught her lips with his own and kissed her with as much passion as he could muster.

She kissed him back only for a moment before stepping back, "You are a fool. Guard!"

Luke smiled as she walked up the stairs and back to the house as a guard came and opened the cell door allowing Luke to step back inside.

Ω

Perseus sat alone in his cell inside the ludus, he could hear all the chants of death all around him. Now he understood what Grover had meant by the pit twisting a man.

He could remember the screams of agony the men had screamed before he killed them in the pit, the crowd chanting his name, the blood of his opponents dripping down his body. Like a madman he cracked a smile at it. Not because of killing the men, but because he basked in the crowd's chants. He loved it. He loved every second of it.

He wanted more.

"How much longer?" The voice of his mother asked him.

"How much more blood will you spill until you're free?"

"Soon." He replied. "I promise you, mother."

"I remember the day you were born, I held you so close to my heart, I wanted to protect you from everything. But the god's did not give me that, instead, you're here fighting against what I wanted to protect you from most."

"You look like shit." A voice interrupted him from his thoughts, the boy from earlier, Grover, stood before him.

Perseus scoffed, "I've endured worse."

"What man could, and still consider him a part of this world? The pit is starting to get to you, I can see that."

The voice of his mother rang in his ears once again, "This world is full of suffering."

Perseus nodded, "It will all end one day and we will be reunited."

"As gladiators?" Grover asked, Perseus looked up and jarred himself awake from his daydream of his mother.

Grover nodded, "That is a welcomed thought."

Perseus nodded as well, "A thought that keeps me from going to the afterlife."

Grover reached inside his pocket and pulled out a cloth, and unfolded it. "Mandrake root, given to me by Travis to numb the pain."

Perseus shook his head, "Your offer is well received but I can not take it. I cannot forget this pain, nor will I try to hide from it."

Ω

"Are our scales balanced?"

Collecting the wins of Perseus had largely tipped the scales in Batiatus' favor but he was nowhere in a condition to pay the man his thirty percent plus principal.

The senator's cousin was a slippery one, threatening him at any occasion for Batiatus to give him his money back or he would cease to give the man food and grain.

Batiatus had an idea for everything, and he surely had an idea to give the man what he truly deserved.

He smirked, and motioned for the guard beside him in his study room. "Tell Ethan to get ready."

Ω

One more body hit the floor with a thud as Perseus stood victoriously above him.

"Perseus! Victor!"

He did not care for victory anymore, he only wanted to be let out of the pit. But the only way to be let out of the pit was to fight your way out.

The next fighter had been sent out before Perseus could even finish thinking to himself.

The man in front of him had a mask on, a mask made out of flash, a mask that was in the shape of another man's face. He was given two axes as a weapon, while Perseus was given just a single sword.

Their fight was evenly matched, but Perseus thought back to all those times doctore said to evaluate your opponent. He could see plenty of points to strike.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see his master Batiatus standing with two of his gladiators, he also saw two assassins making their way towards them.

Perseus yelled, "No!"

Ethan saw one of the assassins coming towards them and grabbing the small knife that was in his hands and turned it against him and stabbed the man in the chest multiple times and left him there to die.

Unfortunately for Batiatus however, another assassin had already sliced his stomach with his knife. Blood covered his robes as he kneeled down in pain, the cut wasn't too deep but still enough to draw pain.

Perseus knocked the man over and grabbed one of his axes and flung it towards the assassin that hovered over Batiatus, and watched as the blade embedded itself in the assassin's back. Batiatus stood up and looked up towards Perseus, a grateful look on his usual frowning face.

Batiatus knew who sent assassins after him, like he had previously said, the senator's cousin was always a slippery one. His time will come soon enough he thought.

The bodies of the assassins were dragged outside the pits later that night, "You stand as my protector but here I stand bloody." Batiatus yelled towards Ethan.

"I am sorry, master. I did not see that there were two."

"Open your fucking eyes when my life is in danger or I'll have them ripped out that fucking skull of yours."

"The bodies carry a tattoo, master Batiatus." One of his men said as Batiatus stood beside Ethan grabbing his wound, "So they send slaves to kill Batiatus, huh?" He walked over and kicked the dead body of one of the slaves.

"Common fucking slaves!" With each word, a stronger kick was delivered.

"Send these bodies back to the master's house, I will deal with him personally."

Ω

"Perseus." The doctore stood outside his cell once more. "Batiatus summons you."

Perseus stood and walked outside and stood under the full moon with his master, Batiatus.

"My wife thinks you're cursed by the gods. I'm inclined to agree."

Perseus shook his head, "I would agree as well."

"The best option would be to end your miserable life, before it can further affect my own." Batiatus walked forward with a sword in his hands, and pointed the blade at him "But here I stand, alive, all because of you."

He turned the blade around and held the hilt for Perseus to grab, "He is to join the gladiator's once again as soon as he is well recovered. Welcome back to the brotherhood."

Batiatus walked inside as Perseus stood underneath the moon with the doctore, "I had once told you that it was too late for such things, but however, you have reclaimed your purpose. You start training tomorrow."

Perseus nodded, "Thank you, doctore."

The doctore walked past him, "You have done well and have earned the priviledge to know my name. Call me, Chiron."

 **A/N- Thank you for reading, please do give me your thoughts and opinions on this chapter and the story as a whole so far. More to come, stay tuned.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - Enjoy.**

 **Previously on Blood and Honor**

 _Perseus stood and walked outside and stood under the full moon with his master, Batiatus._

" _My wife thinks you're cursed by the gods. I'm inclined to agree."_

 _Perseus shook his head, "I would agree as well."_

" _The best option would be to end your miserable life, before it can further affect my own." Batiatus walked forward with a sword in his hands, and pointed the blade at him "But here I stand, alive, all because of you."_

 _He turned the blade around and held the hilt for Perseus to grab, "He is to join the gladiator's once again as soon as he is well recovered. Welcome back to the brotherhood."_

 _Batiatus walked inside as Perseus stood underneath the moon with the doctore, "I had once told you that it was too late for such things, but however, you have reclaimed your purpose. You start training tomorrow."_

 _Perseus nodded, "Thank you, doctore."_

 _The doctore walked past him, "You have done well and have earned the priviledge to know my name. Call me, Chiron."_

 **Third Person POV**

The sun shined brightly in the sky that day, it's smoldering heat burning on the backs of the gladiators as they trained under the doctore's rule. The drought still continued, barely any water to drink. Sweat gleamed on the backs of the gladiators as they continued to train in the scorching heat.

Wood swords clanking against wood shields was the only sound that was emitted, the doctore slowly walking around them as they sparred with one another in lines of two. Occasionally the doctore would yell out "Switch!" as one line moved to the right so that they could face another opponent.

On this occasion when doctore yelled out, "Switch!", Luke kept on banging his sword across the shield of Perseus', only for Perseus to retaliate in return.

"Luke! Did you not hear my command?"

"Apologies doctore, I did not hear. Nor did I mean to scare the Thracian dog." Luke glanced over in Perseus' direction.

"The games of the magistrate approach. Listen carefully to my instructions." The doctore stood before them, his whip always ready in hand. "And every man chosen will see victory in the arena."

A gladiator fainted beside him as the heat got to him.

"Perhaps not every man." The doctore stated as the men around him laughed.

A little boy knelt down beside the fallen man, a water pouch ready in hand to trickle the water down the fallen man's throat.

"No! Save the water for the men who deserve it." The doctore commanded as he walked back and stood next to the walls of the ludus, "Get back to training."

Ω

Batiatus stood in the middle of his gardens with his arms and hands spread wide, "Rain. For the love of Zeus' cock will you please fucking rain!"

"What are you doing?" A voice came from behind him.

"Praying."

"Blasheming."

Batiatus frowned, "Two narrowly separated things in these desperate times."

"Perhaps, the gap widens." Batiatus wife spoke mischievously as she held a piece of parchment in her hands.

Batiatus lowered his arms as he walked towards his wife, "Recently delivered?"

"Indeed. It is something of happier note."

He grabbed that parchment that she held in her hands and unrolled it and read it. He raised his eyebrow, "The magistrate is coming here to personally select men who will be in his games."

"Games to appease the gods and end this drought. The biggest game ever since Thanatos bested one hundred men in the arena."

"But why come himself? Unless…"

She nodded, "The primus."

Batiatus smiled, "If we were to secure the main event at these games.."

She nodded happily, "Our coffers will be filled! He arrives within the hour."

Batiatus turned towards his staff of servants, "Prepare food and wine and all the water we have left." They all nodded and left the two together.

Lucretia looked down, "Your robe, I'll go call a medic." She turned to leave only for Batiatus to grab her wrist.

"No."

"Those men tried to kill you, the magistrate must know about this."

He nodded, "Yes, but they also tried to kill me in a dishonest place. I will not have our reputation be fucked with if the people know that Batiatus was at the pit wagering coin. I will not have the magistrate hear about this especially with the primus in the balance."

All she could do was nod.

Moments later they stood in their bedroom getting ready for the magistrates visit.

"What do you think?" Batiatus stood before his wife raising his arms once more.

"You adorn them like a god." She smiled seductively at him.

He walked towards her and leaned them, "This god would love to be deep inside you too."

Thalia walked into their bedroom, "Apologies but the magistrate will arrive shortly."

Lucretia smiled, "Our fortunes rise just like your cock."

"We shall finish this later."

Batiatus walked out of his bedroom and downstairs, "Thank you for coming magistrate, it is always good to have you in our presence." He extended his forearm to the old man in front of him who took it in heed.

"Thank you Batiatus, it is always a pleasure to come and watch your men fight. Now come, we have much to talk about."

The two men walked towards the balcony that looked down upon the gladiators training, "Luke, the champion of Capua will gladly fight any man you choose."

The magistrate nodded, "Excellent, it will be a great fight between legends then."

Batiatus stilled, "Legends?"

"Did I forget to mention?" The magistrate said as a servant girl handed him a cup of wine. "Thanatos has been secured for the primus event. May the gods accept the sacrifice of the men Thanatos will cut down and give this country some rain."

Batiatus glared silently, "I'm afraid the gods will be displeased, the match is unfair. Only one man has fought and lived against Thanatos."

The magistrate nodded, "A fair point. What if your man Luke was joined alongside Perseus? His death was fated but he refused to own it from what I have heard. Your debts are well known Batiatus, even if your men were to die, the coin received would fill your pockets with enough to keep your debts away for the moment. Unless of course you choose not to participate."

Batiatus understood the underlying threat, refusing the magistrate would mean refusing Rome. He could not do that. "I will set my man to the task." He walked forward towards the edge of the balcony and looked down at his gladiators. "My titans!" He waited until the men stopped and he got their attention. "Pause and hear the glorious news. The magistrate has invited our best men to fight in his primus. Luke, step forward. Perseus, step forward. You have been chosen to fight as one. Against Thanatos. The shadow of death."

The doctore looked up at his master, shock evident on his face. He still carried the scars that were inflicted upon his body by the man Thanatos to this very day.

All around them the gladiators stood still, the name Thanatos shocking them to their core. The men who believed in his legend could not believe what they were hearing. Fighting against him was immediate death.

The sun had set as the men were all eating their supper together.

Perseus sat in solitude as the men sat in a group together a few feet away from him. He caught the eyes of Luke staring at his on many occasion.

Grover walked over and sat next to him, "You and Luke make a fine couple." He laughed.

"I will fight without him."

Grover shook his head, "Then you will die the same."

"This Thanatos, the legend can not be true." Perseus spoke as if he knew the man.

"He has been cut a thousand times in the arena and he has never fallen." Grover took a bite out of his bread, "I'd say you were safer in the pits."

"If we were to win," Perseus asked, "How large will our win be?"

Grover leaned forward, "Large enough to buy your freedom ten times over."

Ω

"You have sent them to certain death, let me fight in their stead." The doctore walked the silent halls of the ludus alongside his master and his wife. The moon was high in the sky, stars twinkled all across the sky as well.

"That's an excellent suggestion, I would agree to that as well." Lucretia said, her only concern was Luke.

Batiatus stopped walking, "You were not requested. Look, no one has forgotten how bravely you fought against Thanatos, old friend."

"Yet without victory."

Batiatus sighed, "You stand the only man to face him in the arena and live. That in itself is a victory. Set your purpose to the task of training Perseus and Luke for the match."

The doctore stared into the eyes of his master, "I fear no amount of training will save them from the shadow of death's grasp."

"Then prepare them for a glorious death."

The doctore walked away, he would not let his students die.

Ω

"Water." Thalia stood before Luke's cell as he held a pouch of water for Luke. "From our mistress. To help for your training." Luke's smile faltered as he realized it wasn't Thalia that was giving him water.

He unscrewed the cap and drank hungrily and downed the entire thing in large gulps.

She turned to leave after she saw that he was done drinking.

"Wait a moment." He said, in hopes that she would turn around and face him.

She froze and turned around, "To what purpose?"

"There is none." He looked at her face, she was beautiful he thought.

She shook her head, "You shouldn't look at me in that way."

"I try with all my strength not to. But I am weak."

Thalia smiled and put her hand through the cell door to caress his face, "Sleep then, and regain your strength."

She turned around and left Luke to himself.

Luke turned around and made his way back to his cell.

Perseus sat inside.

Perseus stood up as soon as he saw him, "I seek no quarrel."

"Your presence here states otherwise."

"We've had our differences, I own my part in them. But if we are to defeat Thanatos-"

"We? There is no such thing in the arena"

"You believe you can slay the giant Thanatos?" Perseus asked him slowly. "Alone?"

Luke walked forward, "As I always stand. Alone."

Perseus' eyebrow rose, "This time you do not."

"When Thanatos falls, the glory will be mine."

"And if we do not come to common ground, the death share will be ours."

A fierce staredown took place between the two, neither wanting to yield.

"If you wish to die alone then so be it." Perseus spoke, "But I cannot afford to die here."

Ω

The gladiators were out early in the morning the next day, the sun had just started to rise but the men had already started their strength training with their logs. Many of them talking amongst themselves saying that the team of Perseus and Luke would not be a match for Thanatos. Many of them had even bet against them.

The doctore was their opponent today. He was a man like no other. His fighting prowess far higher than that of Perseus and Luke.

He had already knocked them down and spilled their blood many times even before the sun reached it's highest point in the sky.

Doctore stood before them with two swords in his hands. "You attack as if you are attacking a man! Thanatos is beyond flesh! Beyond blood and bone! He is a shadow that precedes death. Allow him to fall upon you alone and you will die. Now rise! And come at me, as one!"

Luke did not wish to work as a team, despite Perseus' agreement to work together. Pushing Perseus out of his way, he proceeded to attack the doctore, only to have his sword kicked out of his hand and his body falling onto the sand once more with blood dripping down his mouth and nose.

That was how the two spent the afternoon and much of their evening. Bickering amongst themselves and having their asses handed to them by the doctore. Never had they fought such a man like him who bested them at every opportunity, and Thanatos was much, much better.

"You fight like fools! You fight Thanatos in the primus, prove yourselves worthy. Again!" The doctore commanded as he stood before the two with both swords at hand, he looked perfectly fine unlike Perseus and Luke who were both breathing heavily with blood dripping down their faces.

The two charged at the doctore once more, "Fools!" He ducked and used both his swords to swipe the legs from underneath them, flipping their bodies in the air and watched as their bodies hit the sand with a loud thump. The doctore shook his head, "Pathetic."

Ω

"How are we to fare against Thanatos, if we cannot even best the doctore?" Perseus asked his partner Luke, as they stood with the other men in the baths of the ludus cleaning themselves.

"I could have bested him a dozen times if you had none gotten under foot."

"I take the sands beside you in this fight Luke."

"Just because you stand beside me in the sands of the arena with sword and shield in hand does not mean you are my brother. I fight to honor these walls, you fight to leave them."

Perseus stood up, "You fight because you are a slave. Just like everyone else."

Luke threw the bar of soap that was in his hands against the wall and turned around, "No, not like everyone else! I accept my place here, I embrace it. But you, you still dream of a life beyond the walls of the arena. But that is all there is to it, it is all a dream Perseus. And one day soon you will wake up to the truth. You will never leave this place."

With anger, Luke pushed Perseus down as punches were thrown. The two rolled over the floor of the baths, trying to gain an upper hand against one another.

Dark skinned arms grabbed Luke off of Perseus. They looked up to see the doctore glaring at the two of them with his arms crossed across his chestplate. "Get yourselves cleaned up."

Ω

Perseus was knocked to the ground by the doctore yet again.

"You dishonor me." The doctore said as stood between the two.

"The Thracian dog gets in the way of my attack!"

"I seek to strengthen it!"

"Well I seek no aid!"

"No!" The doctore yelled."You need the gods to descend and fight by your side. Even then victory is doubtful." The doctore scoffed as he realized neither was listening. "Words falling on deaf ears."

The doctore stabbed both his swords into the sands, "Attend your eyes then." He reached up to unclasp his chestplate off his body and dropped it onto the sands underneath their feet. "My failure, your lesson."

Perseus' eyes fixed on the three large scars that ran down the doctore's chest from his left shoulder all the way down to his right hip.

"His first cut," The doctore started, "When I thought he was open and continued my attack unwisely. His next assault came when I fell back, he came at me with a speed that I had never seen before. Yet these wounds are nothing but a game of blood to amuse the crowd, and when he tires he will move to separate your head from your body." He turned his neck around for the two to see the large scar that was his neck and face. "I live because I survived longer than any man against herald that as a victory. I am not among them."

"You say that he attacks even when pressed and on the assault." Perseus started.

"How will we defeat him then?" Luke finished.

"By doing both at once! Press and defend, distract and strike! Fight as one! Or die as two."

The doctore walked back and grabbed the swords he had previously stabbed into the sands beneath them and raised them towards the two, "Now, show me the way to honor." Perseus and Luke charged at him once more, in hopes of besting the man in front of them.

Ω

"Why the fuck are the torches not lit?" A man walked into his home, only to see his family and servants all murdered. Their blood pooled together in the center forming a pool of blood.

Frantically he kneeled down beside his wife's lifeless body as he looked on at the massacre around him, who could do such a thing?

He looked up to see Batiatus sitting against the wall with a little boy in his arms.

"I owed you a debt, thirty percent plus principal I think it was? However you hired slaves to kill me in the pits. Did you think I would not know? Did you think I would not send my men out to find out who would do such a dishonorable thing?"

He stood up and grabbed the little boy's hand and walked towards the man that stood before him.

He raised his hands, "Please, don't do anything to my son. He is unstained!"

Batiatus sneered, "No child is unstained by the deeds of his father."

"Do you deny hiring those men to kill me in the pits?"

The man shook his head yes, "Yes I hired those men, but for another purpose."

"Speak the purpose and I swear by the name of Zeus I will not kill you right here."

The man gulped, "The magistrate paid the balance of your debt in exchange for your death."

Batiatus nodded his head, of course he magistrate would find out and try to get involved in his business. He would take care of him soon enough too. "Gratitude for your honesty."

"You're not going to kill me then?"

"No. I promised I personally would not kill you. But my slave will."

A sword protruded from the man's chest as Ethan stood behind him covering his mouth so he wouldn't scream. The little boy's eyes widened at seeing his father killed right in front of his eyes.

The little boy ran to his father right away as Ethan stood in the middle of the carnage.

"Burn this fucking place to the ground. But first, take care of the child."

Ethan nodded and closed his eyes as he grabbed the little child and steel met flesh once more.

A fire blazed in the middle of the night as the now dead man's house was burnt.

A debt no more.

Ω

"You are right. I do not honor these walls." Perseus said as he and Luke sat beside one another in the baths. Just the two of them this time.

Luke scoffed, "A fact well known."

"Has it always been so for you? When you were first brought here for the first time against your will? Your life traded for a few coins. Did you honor these walls back then?"

"More than a few."

"Is that your worth then?" Perseus asked.

Luke sighed, "Has it ever occurred to you as to why the great Thanatos would grace us with his presence?"

Perseus chuckled slightly, "A promise of wealth I presume."

Luke shook his head, "The shadow of death has earned over a thousand fortunes. He comes here not for coin, He comes here for the glory of facing the champion of Capua. The undefeated Athenian."

"Glory?"

Luke nodded, "There is no greater thing than standing victorious in the arena."

"Is there no purpose for you beyond all the blood? No dream beyond the cheering crowd? Is there nothing else you fight for?"

Luke's mind immediately went to the blue eyed beauty that graced the halls of the house of Batiatus.

"Luke! You are summoned." A guard walked into the baths as the two stopped staring one another down.

Luke left the baths deep in thought, many things running through his mind. But only one person was on his mind all the time.

Thalia stood in the halls once more as Luke made his way up.

She grabbed his arm, "You're going to die tomorrow aren't you?"

Luke shook his head, "Only the gods define the future."

"Honor and glory, that's all you care about isn't it?" A tear ran down her face as Luke raised his thumb to wipe it away.

"Not all."

"Still a fool."

Luke agreed, "Still"

Their lips met, maybe for the last time before tomorrow's fight.

Ω

"The odds do not favor you." Grover said as he and Perseus sat together outside underneath the moon.

"They seldom do." Perseus laughed.

"I heard Ethan has wagered coin, more for Luke than you but coin nonetheless."

Perseus nudged Grover with his foot, "What about you?"

Grover laughed, "If I had the means, I would wager coin for you. You're too fucking stubborn to die." The two laughed.

"Every man has his end." Perseus stated calmly.

"I pray to the gods you have not reached yours. Now sleep, tomorrow you face a legend." Grover jokingly said. "You may yet become one yourself."

Ω

The stands were packed to the brim with a cheering crowd. The first few fights of the games had already taken place with a few dead bodies being dragged out of the arena. The sands had already been stained with new fresh blood.

Perseus and Luke were being escorted out alongside the doctore, both with sword and shield in hand. "My time for glory has passed. Yours stands before you. Take it. Heal old wounds and kill that son of a fucking whore." The doctore's fierce attitude was matched by the future as they nodded their heads to their doctore and made their way onto the sands of the arena.

Trumpets were rung as the crowd cheered for the primus.

The magistrate stood forth, "Citizens of Capua! In the name of Rome, I present to you! The emperor of Rome!"

Batiatus and the rest of the people that sat beside the magistrate reeled back, they hadn't expected the emperor to come to Capua to watch the games himself.

The crowd cheered for their emperor and magistrate as an old man wearing a toga walked forth, a golden crown made out of laurels rested on his head to signify his status as emperor. A beautiful young lady walked alongside him, her blond hair flowed down her face and the ends of her hair were curled. Her bright gray eyes were beautiful.

The emperor walked forward, "Citizens of Capua! In the name of my forefathers and my predecessors, I present to you the final event, the primus! May the blood spilled here give way to an end to this drought! In the name of the house of Batiatus! Perseus!" As Perseus walked out the crowd booed and threw food at him. "Joining him on the sands, Luke! The undefeated Athenian and the champion of Capua!" Cheers were heard as Luke walked forward to join Perseus in the middle of the arena.

The blonde girl stared at the young man Perseus with interest, their eyes met for a second as her gray eyes stared into his own bright green ones.

A connection was made that moment but in that moment, neither of them knew.

A forbidden love never before seen that would shake that foundations of the Roman Empire.

"Capua! Shall we begin!" Luke yelled towards the crowd as they continued cheering.

The emperor continued, "Their opponent is a man that has never before fallen, a beast that has never been tamed, a legend that has never been tarnished. Behold! Thanatos, the shadow of death!"

A gate was unlocked as everyone waited for the man's entrance.

A large brute of a man walked forward, his long black hair flowing down his back. His body covered in scars and tattoos. He did not wear any armor, but instead, he held two swords in his hands.

The clouds covered the sun as he made his way towards the center of the arena and stood before Perseus and Luke.

Thanatos' blood red eyes stared at his two opponents, there was no emotion on his face.

He let out a scream as the crowd that was quiet a moment ago, cheered him on.

"Begin!"

Thanatos charged at the two of them, swinging his swords wildly. The two charged at him as well, ducking underneath his strikes one after another trying to find an open spot. The man despite being so big was also incredibly fast.

Perseus and Luke slashed the man's thighs in an effort to slow him down but the wounds inflicted upon his body did not slow him down in the slightest.

The doctore and the other gladiators watched on with interest as their fight continued. The emperor, and the people around him watching with greed as no matter who won this fight their pockets would be overflowing with more coin.

Thanatos did not seem to run out of energy, he kept swinging his sword. Perseus and Luke only barely managing to get their shields up in time to save themselves.

Perseus ducked underneath another one of Thanatos' sword strikes and swung his sword across the man's stomach and drew blood and kicked him back, only for Luke to come up from behind him and slash the man's back.

The doctore nodded from the side, finally they were starting to work as one.

Perseus knocked one of Thanatos' blades from his hand as Luke slashed the man's chest. Blood now covered his chest as he fell to the ground, no one saw the enraged look on his face.

The stands were quiet, the balcony where the emperor and the magistrate stood were quiet. The people around them all assessing the situation.

A legend cut down before them so quickly?

It couldn't be.

And it wouldn't.

Their fight had just begun.

Perseus and Luke took their helmets off and started laughing, the crowd started cheering for their victory. Batiatus yelled a loud "Yes!" Their money problems would soon be solved. Thalia stood behind her mistress with a small smile on her face.

They turned their backs towards the fallen body of Thanatos and rose their arms and laughed with the crowd.

The doctore stared on, "Fools! Their fight is not over yet."

The people in the crowd stopped cheering as the only sound that was left in the arena were the sound of Perseus and Luke laughing.

They turned around to see the body of Thanatos up and about with his blades once again in each hand glaring at the two of them.

Thanatos raised his blades into the air, "Capua! Shall I begin?"

Storm clouds gathered above as the sound of thunder was heard.

He charged at the two of them, Luke pushed Perseus out the way and stood before Thanatos by himself only to be knocked down.

Doctore shook his head, their training was for nought. Luke simply did not wish to work together as a team. His greed for glory was too much.

Thanatos swung his sword at Luke, slashing his arms and thighs and drawing blood, enjoying the scream of agony that came from Luke's mouth. Luke was knocked to the ground, but Perseus jumped and brought his sword down at Thanatos only for him to catch the sword by making an X with his own two swords.

Thanatos kicked Perseus back as the crowd watched Perseus' body roll across the sands. In a sprout of anger Luke ran towards the legend once more, he had caused the champion of Capua quite the humiliation. Luke brought his shield up to protect him from the attack of Thanatos. Seeing his opening Luke stabbed his sword through the stomach of Thanatos and pushed it straight out his back. Expecting Thanatos to fall and die would've been too easy. Thanatos did not back down and screamed and grabbed that blade that was embedded in his body and broke it and headbutted Luke down. He grabbed that other piece of the blade that was stuck inside his body and pulled it out and slashed Luke's chest with his own blade.

Luke stumbled back and turned his back to his enemy, only for Thanatos to bring his own blade down and strike him against his back. Blood spilled and Luke fell head first into the sands.

The crowd was silenced by that act. Never before had they seen their champion cut down so easily. Thanatos yelled with his arms raised up.

Thanatos bent down and grabbed Luke's head and was about to severe his head from his body, but he didn't the chance.

"Thanatos!" Perseus yelled as he managed to get his attention off of Luke, the legend dropped Luke's body back into the sand and turned his blade towards Perseus.

With anger he charged, the man of legend really had no openings. Thanatos' assault was nonstop without a pause. He swung and swung and knocked Perseus' blade out from his hand.

The clouds were starting to clear and the sun was starting to shine through. Luke laid on the sands in a bloody mess, the light from the sun was beaming off his helmet that he had dropped earlier. With heavy breaths he grabbed the helmet and used it as an instrument to bounce sunlight off of it and into the eyes of Thanatos, blinding him momentarily. Giving Perseus the opportunity to roll over and grab Luke's blade that he had dropped earlier. Using both blades he attacked the blinded Thanatos and cut his body everywhere. His chest, stomach, arms, and legs.

He stabbed one of his blades into the gut of Thanatos and used the other to severe his head off. It took three strong strikes but the head of Thanatos finally flew off of his neck and onto the sands.

"Yes!" Batiatus yelled.

The crowd cheered for the victor as the doctore smiled slightly. The gladiators around him cheering for their brother and the death of the legendary Thanatos.

Clouds formed above once again as rain poured down from the heavens, washing the blood of Perseus' face and body.

The crowd cheered for the end of the drought. The people in the arena all cupped their hands together to capture some rain and hungrily drank what little they got.

Perseus dropped his blades as he embraced the rain. He noticed the barely alive body of Luke being dragged out of the arena. The medics had already started tending to him.

"Perseus!"

"Perseus!"

"Perseus!"

The crowd chanted his name as he looked around him. He pushed his head back and opened his mouth for the rain to fall in.

Batiatus stepped forward, "The new champion of Capua!"

 **A/N - Thank you for reading, please do leave a review of what you thought about the chapter and the story as a whole so far. Stay tuned, more to come.**


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